Following a meeting in the European Parliament with Israeli and Palestinian women belonging to various women's organisations which seek a peaceful settlement to the Middle East conflict, Jill Evans MEP has called again for immediate intervention in the Middle East to protect the civilian population.

Ms Evans, who is the Vice Chairwoman of the Parliament’s Committee for Women’s Rights, said:

"I was very moved by my meeting with these brave women which highlighted in a very vivid way just how desperate the situation is. One of the women stated that what happened in Jenin was “a picnic” compared to what was planned. They had come to Brussels - Israelis and Palestinians together - to make a joint appeal for a peacekeeping force to be sent in to stop any more bloodshed."

"They asked me to do all I could to try and influence the British government which is one of those blocking any EU action. I assured them that people in Wales were deeply concerned and would support the calls for intervention. Galia Golan, of the Free University of Jerusalem, who has been interviewed several times on Radio Wales, said that she was both surprised and encouraged by the interest and the concern in Wales."

"A representative of the Coalition for Peace read out a joint declaration condemning the climate of terror as well as 'war crimes perpetrated by Israel upon the Palestinian civilian population' and calling for an immediate end to the occupation. They said that there had been plenty of UN resolutions and conferences. What was needed now was international protection for the Palestinians. They have spent the past ten years building the institutions of a state and now that is all being systematically destroyed by the Israelis - even computers and records of organisations are being taken and destroyed. In the words of one woman the Palestinians are being “socially marginalised, economically paralysed and militarily destroyed."

"These women’s groups want 'peace between equals' - they respect each other’s positions without destroying one another’s rights. There are lessons for us all in their inspirational work."

Diwedd/Ends.

Note:

The Israeli representatives were Galia GOLAN (Director, Human Rights Project at the Free University of Jerusalem), Debby LERMAN (Coalition of Women for Peace) and Suha SIBANI (Director, Arab Association Committee for Education). The Palestinian representatives were Janwa RIAD DIJANI (Director, Palestinian Youth Department in Jerusalem), Maha ABU DAYE SHAMMAS (Director of the Women's Centre for Legal Aid and Counselling) and Samia BAMIEH (Jerusalem Centre for Women - Jerusalem Link).