EU just complains, takes no real action against Israeli demolitions: Analyst

Press TV has interviewed Saeed Nimer, a professor of political science at Birzeit University, about the Israeli regime continuing to destroy Palestinian homes and structures, including those sponsored or funded by the European Union (EU).

You can read a rough transcription of the interview below.

Press TV: Well, we have continually seen Israel destroying Palestinian homes and other structures and now they have even destroyed these facilities that have been sponsored by the EU. Do you think that we can expect a tough response by the EU or not?

Nimer: As a matter of fact, the EU had condemned such actions and they tried to talk to the Israelis and to try to also complain, if you like, against these Israeli actions, but, unfortunately, not more than that.

It is not the first time and it has been done all the time in the West Bank and in Jerusalem that the Israelis are demolishing structures which were donated or funded by the EU, yet at the same time, the EU... they only complain about it but they did not take any real action against the Israeli measures towards the Palestinians in order to prevent the Israelis in future and to stop these [demolitions].

But unfortunately no, they did not take any action and only they are complaining against the Israelis.

Press TV: What is it going to take? We see this repeatedly, the Israeli abuses, and basically again not a whole lot of reaction from the so-called international community. When is this red line going to be crossed? What will it take to actually get that pressure from European countries, if not the United States itself, but at least from the Europeans to bring about the necessary pressure that is needed for Tel Aviv to stop what it is doing?

Nimer: Well, as matter of fact, it is quite clear to us now... the European Union... absolutely there is hypocrisy in their treatment to the issues in the Middle East and especially the Palestinian-Israeli situation. All the time, they sometimes complain or they object to the Israelis, but they did not take any action in reality.

Well, at the same time, for instance Israel has a special relationship to the EU in the European Chambers of Commerce. One of the elements or the articles in this chamber... they say that we are viewing countries according to their human rights record. Well, the Israeli human rights record... it is already violation to all kinds of human rights and yet the European Union is not taking any action.

Maybe they think that the numbering and calling the products of the settlements as an action, though there was a huge attack from the Israelis against this kind of action by the Europeans, but so far they are not taking any real measures. They can at least put pressure on the Israelis in the commerce or they can put some pressure on the Israelis regarding lots of other things but apparently they are not doing that and I think they are being hypocrite quite clearly to the Palestinians.  

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