Press release of the Inter-Parliamentary Union
Geneva and Jerusalem, 6 June 2001
N° 117

The Committee on Middle East Questions of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), after meeting with senior Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian political leaders, announced that contacts between the Speakers of the Israeli and Palestinian parliaments and among the members of the Knesset and the Palestinian Legislative Council would take place in the coming days in order to resume the political dialogue between the two sides. The IPU stands ready to pursue its actions in order to continue to facilitate this resumption of the dialogue.

A delegation of the Committee, headed by the French MP, Mr. Yves Tavernier, and composed of Mr. M. Raymond Ahaouandjinou (Benin), Mr. Andreas Philippou (Cyprus, Rapporteur) and Mrs. Oddbjorg Ausdal Starrfelt (Norway), undertook a fact-finding mission from 2 to 6 June 2001, to Jordan, Israel and the territories controlled by the Palestinian Authority. The mission included meetings in Amman, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Bethlehem and Gaza.

The IPU Comittee met with Mr. Abdulhadi Majali, the Speaker of the Jordanian National Assembly, Mr. Zaid Al Rifai, President of the Jordanian Senate, Mr. Saleem Al Zahnoun, the Speaker of the Palestine National Council (PNC), Mr. Ahmed Qurei, Abu Ala, the Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Mr. Avraham Burg, the President of the Knesset, Mr. Shimon Peres, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel, Mr. Yasser Arafat, the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Meir Sheetrit, the Israeli Minister of Justice, and numerous other Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian political and parliamentary officials.

On behalf of the IPU Committee, its President, Mr. Tavernier, called on all parties to immediately implement all the recommendations of the Mitchell Report and notably those related to the immediate cessation of all violence against civilian populations. As called for in the Mitchell Report, the Committee insisted on a freeze on all settlements in the occupied territories.

The IPU Committee also called for a rapid resumption of dialogue between political representatives with a view to an improvement of the living conditions of the Palestinian people and of the security of Israel. In this spirit, the Committee is gratified to learn that, in accordance with its proposal, the Presidents of the Knesset and the PLC have announced their intention to meet in the coming days. Other direct contacts between MPs from both sides should also take place. The Committee demands that measures be taken to enable the PLC to meet and carry out its mandate.

Finally, the IPU Committee wishes to express its sincere gratitude to the Jordanian, Israeli and Palestinian authorities for their cooperation and hospitality throughout the mission.

Founded in 1889 and based in Geneva, the IPU currently has 141 affiliated national parliaments and five regional assemblies as associate members. It also has a Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York