Brussels, 01/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - On 29 September, the Belgian Presidency of the European Union adopted a further declaration firmly condemning the resumption of violent clashes in the Palestinian Territories. The declaration goes on:
"The participation of school age children in the demonstrations should not be tolerated due to the serious risks they are thus exposed to. The Presidency calls on the Israeli Government to refrain from all excessive and disproportionate use of force to contain the violence. The Presidency insistently calls on the Palestinian and Israeli authorities to show a maximum of restraint and to work closely together with a view to restoring calm as soon as possible. The Presidency expects from both parties that they implement punctually and in good faith the commitments which they agreed upon at the recent Peres-Arafat meeting in order to resume direct dialogue and that they settle their differences by means of negotiations, as laid down in the Madrid and Oslo principles".
The Palestinian Minister for Local Authorities, Saeb Erakat, said he was "surprised" by this declaration, which, he said, "puts the victim and the executioner on an equal footing". As EU Presidency, "Belgium is called upon to act to put an end to the occupation and terrorism of the Israeli State", declared the Minister in Gaza, according to Agence France Press.