Brussels, 22/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - As the Israeli army's ground offensive intensifies in the Gaza Strip, EU foreign affairs ministers, meeting on Tuesday 22 July, called on Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian insurgent groups to conclude a ceasefire immediately, underlining that the regional context and the current conflict make the two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict even more necessary than ever.
Currently 600 Palestinians, 27 Israeli soldiers and two Israeli civilians have been killed since Israel launched its air operation on 8 July, then ground operation on the Gaza Strip. The EU has condemned the use of rockets by the Palestinian groups and recognised the legitimate right of Israel to defend itself. This right should, however, be exercised proportionately, respecting the obligations of international humanitarian law, the EU ministers underlined. They also said they were concerned by the human cost of the military operations conducted by Israel and by the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. This only reflects the “unsustainable nature of the status quo” in this Palestinian enclave, they added.
The ministers also proposed reactivating the European EUBAM Rafah mission, which - before being put on hold in June 2007 - assured the monitoring of the Rafah crossing point (the Palestinian town in the south of the Gaza Strip, on the Egyptian border). This can be done “if conditions allow, to contribute to a comprehensive and sustainable solution meeting the legitimate security, economic and humanitarian needs of Israelis and Palestinians”, the ministers stated. The mandate of this mission was recently renewed and now runs until June 2015, and can be rapidly redeployed at the Rafah crossing point. (JK)