EU Presidency Statement - The situation in the Middle East

Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Candidate Countries Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Croatia, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this declaration.

Mr. President,

The European Union is gravely concerned by the ongoing cycle of retaliatory violence in Israel and the Occupied Territories. The European Union condemns the rocket attack on Sderot of last Wednesday which resulted in the death of two Israeli children. The European Union fully and unconditionally rejects all forms of terrorism and calls upon the Palestinian Authority to take firm action against the planners and perpetrators of these kinds of atrocities.

Mr. President,

The European Union deplores the disproportionate nature of the Israeli military actions in the Gaza Strip. These actions have claimed the lives of innocent civilians, including children, and left many injured. Though Israel has the right to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, the exercise of this right should take place within the boundaries of international law. The EU calls upon Israel to fully respect the Fourth Geneva Convention. The EU calls upon both parties to exercise maximum restraint with a view to ending the spiral of violence.

The EU emphasises that the only way to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East is through the resumption of security co-operation and direct negotiations between the parties, as called for in the Road Map. The EU also supports the Secretary-general's statement of 3 october 2004. In this context the EU reminds Israel of its obligation to ensure full and secure access for the humanitarian organisations including UNRWA.

Thank you, Mr. President.

| Top |