Strasbourg, 13 January 2004

Dear,

Further to my intervention yesterday at the opening session of the European Parliament on the new restrictions on visitors to the Palestinian Territories imposed by the Israeli Authorities, please, find attached the document concerned.

Briefly, visitors to the West Bank and Gaza Strip are now required to apply for permission and obtain written authorisation from the Civil Administration of the Israeli Military, without which they could be deported and refused future re-entry to the State of Israel.

This measure is a further attempt by Israel to annihilate every sovereignty of the Palestinian Authority in its territories, and to isolate Palestinian people and treat them like prisoners, controlling if and when Palestinians are allowed to have contacts with the international community.

This results in a clear violation of international law, a complete disregard of Palestinian Authority, and a restriction of movement not only of international visitors, but also of EU officials.

Foreign citizens - among them EU officials - arriving to Ben Gurion Airport or at one of the bridges from Jordan are now being handed this order, apparently as a warning, as no signature is yet being required for entry into Israel. The threat of deportation and banning of re-entry into Israel is especially concerning as Israel controls all borders and entry into the Palestinian Territories. Therefore a ban on entry into Israel translates into a ban on access to the Palestinian Territories.

This measure is similar to restrictions placed on entry to the Gaza Strip in May 2003 which required any foreign visitor including journalists and NGO workers to sign a form in which they agreed that Israel held no responsibility for their death or injury by the Israeli army. This made it difficult for international monitors and humanitarian workers to enter Gaza.

Therefore, I request you to ask the Israeli Authorities the reason of this restriction and its immediate withdrawal.

Sincerely yours,

Luisa Morgantini

Chairwoman of the Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council