Brussels, 20/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - “The EU Presidency should not act as a judge. I have never seen a war where humanitarian law was completely respected”, said Karl Schwarzenberg, Czech Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the EU Council, addressing the European Parliament foreign affairs committee on Tuesday afternoon, in response to a speech by Véronique de Keyser (PES, Belgium), who wished to know what impact the violations of humanitarian law by the Israeli army in Gaza could have on the EU association agreement and if the EU was going to call on Tel Aviv for an explanation of its action. “We must maintain close relations with Israel just as we must have good relations with the Arab countries”, Mr Schwarzenberg went on to say. Today, unlike what has so often been the case in the past, “Israel is listening to us”, the Czech minister said, seeing this as a “success for European diplomacy”. “It is therefore in the interest of the EU to continue to have the best possible relations” with Israel, he said. Although it is a “bit frustrating” to pay for the reconstruction of buildings that have already been destroyed several times before by Israel in the Palestinian territories, the EU should once more take part in reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, with the Arab countries of the region, said Mr Schwarzenberg. Until Hamas has fully renounced terrorism, “Hamas cannot be a partner of the EU”, he said. (H.B./transl.jl)