Paris, 15 June 2010 - The Assembly said on Tuesday that priority should be given to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the quest for peace and stability in the Middle East, and that the Iranian nuclear issue should be resolved “within a reasonable timeframe by peaceful and diplomatic means”.

A report entitled “Iran and the Middle East” and presented on behalf of the Political Committee by Lord ANDERSON of Swansea (United Kingdom, Socialist Group) said that there had been “hardly any positive developments in the past six months”. The recommendation, which was adopted unanimously, said that a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should not be linked to the Iranian nuclear issue and that a Palestinian state could not be created without lifting the Gaza blockade, halting the violence and freezing Israel’s settlement activities.

In two bleak observations, Lord ANDERSON told the Assembly that the right-wing Israeli Government had failed to “make choices that would bring international opinion to its side”, and that the international community was “unable to do much” about the Iranian nuclear issue, except for military intervention, which “would be disastrous for the region”.

Among its 12 recommendations, the report said that “all possible means” should be used to encourage reconciliation between Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas; that Syria should be encouraged “to act constructively in a region where it has considerable influence”; and that the international community should consider proposing a solution to the conflict in the absence of bilateral progress. The Arab League should keep its Arab Peace Initiative on the table and draw up proposals for a detailed roadmap, while efforts should be pursued to ensure the Iranian nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful, and the Iranian authorities should be urged to respect human rights and guarantee freedom of expression. 

Regarding the Israeli military’s interception, on 31 May, of a convoy of six ships in international waters before it reached Gaza, a series of amendments to the report said that the investigation into the incident to be conducted by Israel “will not be considered by the international community as credible and impartial, despite the participation of two non-voting foreign observers”.

The Assembly regretted that the policy to isolate Gaza harmed the civilian population without isolating Hamas and said that although Israel had “legitimate security interests”, the current blockade, despite minor modifications, is isolating Israel further without achieving “its key objectives”.

Noting its support for monitoring the Gaza border so as to protect the local population and legitimate Israeli security interests, the Assembly urged the Israeli Government to replace the limited list of goods now allowed into Gaza by a list of goods “that can reasonably be prohibited for security reasons” and to cooperate with the United Nations in ensuring delivery of materials to build and rebuild houses, schools and clinics.

Josette DURRIEU (France, Socialist Group) presented an information report on Iran after her recent visit to that country. See press release No. 21.