The Council for European Palestinian Relations (CEPR) praised the new European positions towards the Palestinian cause, the last of which was the EU foreign ministers' support for the EU recent legislation of labeling the products of Israeli settlements to be distinguished by the European importers and consumers.
The CEPR said in a press release, on April. 20 that the the decision, albeit being too late, is positive and serving justice. It also mentioned that it was rejected recurrently since late May 2012. Nevertheless, the decision is the first real step in the direction of rebuffing Israel's settlement practices which the international community deems as illegitimate. The CEPR added.
The CEPR demanded a new legislation to prevent the extreme Israeli settlers from entering the members states of the EU and to freeze the EU-Israel bilateral trade agreement because of Israel's disrespect for international laws and human rights.
Thirteen EU foreign ministers including William Hague of Britain and Laurant Fabius of France welcomed the call by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton on Feb. 22 to the 27 EU foreign ministers for full enforcement of EU legislation regarding the labeling of products from Israeli settlements. This new decision by the EU will harm the products made in the occupied territories as they will no longer benefit from lower tariffs and they will be easily pointed out by the consumers and the importers.
In the same context, the CEPR welcomed the letter sent by high profile European officials to lady Ashton demanding a radical change in EU foreign policy vis-à-vis the Israeli Palestinian conflict and the Palestinian rights. The CEPR said that the letter denotes a significant progress in the European positions as compared to the previous European policy which has sustained the Israeli occupation and which has been silent on the Israeli continued violations of the Palestinians' human rights. Nonetheless, The CEPR deplored the fact that European policy makers who signed the letter are no longer in office calling those who are still in office to take similar position.
The CEPR also added that the content of the letter corresponds with the series of decisions, which the European Parliament passed in the past few months, and they also express the common opinion of the European citizens which means further isolation to Israel in the EU and its executive bodies.