Brussels, 14/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - EU foreign ministers have urged Israel to put an end to the blockade of Gaza and to agree to the “immediate, sustained and unconditional opening” of crossings to allow humanitarian aid, goods and people to move in and out of Gaza. “The situation in Gaza remains unsustainable”; the blockade imposed by Israel is “unacceptable and politically counter-productive,” EU member states say in conclusions adopted by the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Monday 14 June. Any solution to lighten the suffering of the people of Gaza must, however, address “Israel's legitimate security concerns” and include “a complete stop to all violence and arms smuggling into Gaza”, ministers say. The EU stands ready to contribute to the implementation of a mechanism that ensures “full and regular access” to Gaza by land and, if possible, by sea, ministers state, too.
Exhaustive list. The EU calls on Israel to agree that, in future, access to Gaza should be on the basis on an exhaustive (or “negative”) list of banned products, goods and building materials, rather than of the current “positive” list which sets out the few goods and products allowed (any products not on the list being automatically banned). Tony Blair the International Quartet's Special Envoy to the Middle East, who took part in the Council debate on Monday, said he was optimistic. He said the Israeli government would, “in the next few days”, agree to relax the blockade with the move to this exhaustive list of banned goods. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner expressed his cautious optimism. “We are of the opinion that this will be agreed by the Israelis. We are on the right road … but nothing is certain yet,” he told press. If the change were to be agreed by the Israeli government, more land crossing points would have to be opened (access by sea has been ruled out for the moment) because the flow of goods would increase dramatically, Kouchner said. The Rafah border post, which allows only people to pass, should be extended to allow goods to cross and other crossings should be opened. The EU is ready to play a role in monitoring flows, particularly at Rafah where, through its EUBAM mission, it has already acquired wide experience. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton was charged by ministers with continuing contract with the Israeli government, the Palestinian Authority, the Quartet and the other parties prior to setting out, at the next Foreign Affairs Council in July, the possible “options” for the role the EU might play in implementing a new relaxed access regime in Gaza.
In their conclusions, ministers also condemn the use of violence in the Israeli raid on the humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza. They also reiterate the EU call for an “an immediate, full and impartial inquiry into these events” and the circumstances surrounding them. The EU says that to command the confidence of the international community this inquiry “should include credible international participation”. The Israeli government has announced that a former Israeli Supreme Court judge, Jacob Turkel, will lead the Israeli commission of inquiry into the events of the raid on the flotilla. Israel intends to invite two international figures - Nobel Peace Prize winner David Trimble and Canada's former chief military prosecutor, retired Brigadier General Ken Watkin - to take part as observers in the investigation. (H.B./transl.rt)