OCCUPATION OF THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

That this House notes the 43-year-long occupation of the Palestinian Territories of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem by Israel; further notes the presence of over 500,000 illegal Israeli settlers on occupied land and the refusal of the government of Israel to halt the construction of such settlements, or even to suspend construction to allow peace talks with the Palestinian leadership to progress; further notes the continuing siege of the Gaza Strip, which since June 2007 has prevented exports from Gaza and disrupted the import of humanitarian supplies and materials to rebuild homes, schools, hospitals and businesses destroyed by war; reaffirms its continued belief in a lasting peace settlement with a secure and independent state of Palestine alongside a secure and independent Israel; and calls on the Government, working with the EU, to remind Israel that the continuation of trade and other preferences under the EU-Israeli Association Agreement is dependent on it implementing its own obligations to respect the human rights of Palestinians and to uphold international law.