01/06/2007 (Agence Europe) - Over 110 MEPs call on the EU to resume direct aid to the Palestinian Authority, to recognise the new national unity government and to support this recognition within the Quartet. In a declaration in the form of a petition presented on Thursday in Paris during a conference organised by the French Socialist, Béatrice Patrie, MEPs bring into question the TIM (Temporary International Mechanism) conceived by the Quarter for circumventing Hamas. “This mechanism has not been able to remedy the deterioration of the economic, social and political situation. Tension between Fatah and Hamas have even given rise to fear that the worst thing might happen: civil war”, they say. Europe has the “responsibility of seizing this opportunity to promote a return to the negotiation table allowing a final settlement of the conflict to be reached on the basis of UN resolutions, via the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with the state of Israel”, say the signatory parliamentarians from all political groups, including the former president, Josep Borrell. The list of signatories remains open. (fb)