Plaid Cymru MEP for Wales Jill Evans will today (Thursday 22 December) publish on her website (www.jillevans.net) a controversial EU report on Israeli violations of international law with regard to East Jerusalem that EU ministers have tried to suppress.

Ms Evans - a member of the European Parliament's Delegation for Relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council - is supporting a co-ordinated campaign to make the report public by over 30 European organisations, including War on Want.

The report, compiled by EU diplomats, says that "Israel's activities in Jerusalem are in violation of both its Roadmap obligations and international law." But EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels earlier this month decided not publish the report saying that it could alienate Israel and reduce the EU's influence.

Explaining her decision to publish the report, Jill Evans said:

"I was in Palestine and Israel just a few weeks ago meeting senior politicians and NGO representatives as part of my work as an MEP. They made it clear to us just how serious an effect the ongoing settlement building in and around East Jerusalem as well as the continued construction of the West Bank Wall is having on the lives of the Palestinian people.

My own view is that suppressing information can only ever be counterproductive. This report was compiled by EU diplomats who have no obvious axe to grind and this makes the Foreign Ministers' decision all the more disappointing.

I fear that failure to publish the findings of this report will weaken the EU's ability to promote a peaceful resolution of the Israeli Palestinian conflict. By publishing its findings we are bringing into the open the reality of daily life for ordinary Palestinians. Europe has a duty to act on this, silence is not an option."

Ends.

Notes

Report: Jerusalem and Ramallah Heads of Mission Report on East Jerusalem.