Brussels, 09/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 8 July, the European Union expressed deep concern at the rapid deterioration in the situation in southern Israel and the Gaza Strip and called on Israel and the Palestinians to show restraint in order to avoid loss of human life and to restore calm. A representative of EU High Representative Catherine Ashton said in a press release that everything must be done to reach an immediate cease-fire.
The European Union firmly condemned the indiscriminate shooting of rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip and the growing number of civilian victims, including children, of the reprisals by the Israeli Army. The spokesman said that the safety and security of all civilians must be of prime importance. At least two dozen Palestinians have been killed and more than 150 injured in Israeli air raids. Israeli forces have killed four armed Palestinian activists who had travelled from Gaza to Israel to attack a military base along the southern coastline. Israel has called up 40,000 reservists. Hamas has fired dozens of rockets into Israel without causing casualties and has threatened to launch an attack on “all Israelis” after demonstrating its ability to attack Tel Aviv.
The situation in the Middle East will be discussed by the EU Foreign Affairs Council on 22 July.
Call for calm. Several foreign ministries are calling for calm. The British foreign secretary, William Hague, said he was deeply concerned by the recent escalation of violence and said all sides must do all they can to show restraint and avoid the loss of innocent lives. He said that all sides had a+ responsibility to fully respect the November 2012 ceasefire and tackle the underlying causes of the conflict and of the instability in the Gaza Strip. He said that a dangerous escalation was in nobody's interests and would damage the prospects of the Middle East peace process.
Germany's foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, hoped that all sides would recognise that an uncontrolled spiral of confrontation must be avoided. France said it was concerned by the escalation, which is in nobody's interests and runs the risk of the situation becoming out-of-control. The French Foreign Ministry said that everything must be done to restore and ensure respect of the 2012 cease fire, and those who had carried out the hate crimes against three young Israelis and a young Palestinian must be brought to justice. (CG)