Samaria Regional Council chairman Yossi Dagan went to the European Parliament in Brussels and held a marathon of more than 15 meetings with MPs, in order to fight EU funding of about half a billion dollars for the Palestinian Authority to take over Area C, Israeli territory in Judea and Samaria.
Dagan sought to stop the funding of the campaign against alleged "settler violence" by far-left organizations in Israel with European Union support.
"If the Israeli government does not do its job and does not stop the blatant violation of Israeli sovereignty, we will do it," Dagan said. "We intend to make it clear to the members of the European Parliament what the tax money of their citizens is used for. Anti-Israel actions, which are a blatant violation of international law, and a violation of Israeli sovereignty."
During the visit, Dagan spoke with members of the European Parliament and presented them with the data on the PA's takeover of Area C in violation of the Oslo Accords. "It is impossible to remain silent and sit idly by, and we are here to prove the facts and the truth, and lead to the halting of European funding for the blackening campaign against the people of Samaria and the halting of funds that help take over Israel," Dagan said.
At the beginning of the round of meetings, the head of the Samaria Council met with MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen, who thanked him for bringing the issues to his attention. Ruissen, representing the Netherlands in the European Parliament, said at the end of the meeting with Dagan: "It is quite possible to find MPs who are willing to fight against the transfer of EU funds to terrorist organizations. I will always work on this issue in parliamentary debates, Israel has the right to demand Judea and Samaria, it cannot be said that it is only the Palestinians' right to live there, I will discuss the issue of EU funding for Palestinian illegal construction in Area C with my colleagues."
European Parliament member and Polish representative Richard Czarnecki was shocked by the use of European money for illegal purposes and promised to take action. Czarnecki said: "There must be control over the money that flows into Israel and goes to the wrong places, as well as the money that flows specifically to Samaria, so I would be happy to visit Samaria to visit and see what is happening on the ground, to make a clear statement about controlling European money."
Earlier this week, the head of the Samaria Council issued a scathing letter on the issue to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and earlier this month met with MPs in Hungary and the Czech Republic, agreeing with them to work together to fight issues relating to EU-funding.
European Parliament member Ivan Rohr told Dagan: "We will work together to strengthen our common goals. We will always work together both for Israel and for Europe, we will fight together against hatred and against boycott of your residents."