The Council for European Palestinian Relations (CEPR) is a new organisation which has been established to encourage greater European intervention to secure a just and enduring peace settlement to the Israel-Palestinian conflict. As the conflict enters its seventh decade, the need for a more assertive European policy has become abundantly clear after the collapse of the US-brokered ‘roadmap to peace.’
The absence of any effective restraint on Israel to meet its obligations under international law means that Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights have been permitted to continue with impunity – while its military superiority has been secured. At the same time, the expropriation of more Palestinian land and each new settlement further diminishes the prospect of a two-state solution to the conflict.
The CEPR seeks to achieve a peace based on justice and the restoration of Palestinian rights in accordance with international law and international human rights law. CEPR organises delegations to Palestine so that parliamentarians can witness first-hand the situation confronting the Palestinians.
We facilitate dialogue and understanding between European, Palestinian and Arab parliamentarians and policy-makers in order to pursue policies that will promote peace and put an end to Palestinian suffering. In this spirit, we invite you to exchange with the CEPR in our quest for greater dialogue and understanding.
Dr. Arafat Shoukri
Director, CEPR