Traditional Pro-israel European Parliament Adopts Measure Calling for a Palestinian Homeland

The European Parliament Assembly, traditionally known for its strong pro-Israel sympathies, has adopted a resolution expressing its “solidarity with the Palestinian people” and calling for the creation of a Palestinian homeland.

The resolution, proposed by the Assembly’s four main parties — the Socialist, Conservatives, Liberals and Christian Democrats — was adopted last Friday by on overwhelming majority. The resolution also emphasized “the odious nature” of the massacres in the two west Beirut refugee camps and stressed that the Israeli army was “ostensibly there to protect the Palestinian civilians” in the Sabra and Shatila camps.

The European Parliament, which meets in Strasbourg, is directly elected by the populations of its 10 members-states. It has only an advisory capacity but its rulings generally help orient the policies of the 10 governments and the Commission of its united executive body.

A World Jewish Congress delegation, headed by Werner Nachmann, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany and vice president of the WJC’s European section, met on Thursday with the president of the European Parliament, Piet Dankert of Holland. Nachmann explained the position of the European Jewish communities and called for joint European action to combat rising terrorist activities. Dankert reportedly promised the delegation that the Assembly will consider at its forthcoming session special anti-terrorist legislation.

He also told the delegation that the European Parliament has postponed a scheduled visit by European parliamentarians to Israel as Knesset guests. Dankert said the visit will take place only after Israel’s judicial commission of inquiry publishes its conclusions about the massacres at the Shatila and Sabra camps.