Last update - 00:00 13/11/2006
EU: New PA government must recognize Israel as peace partner
By The Associated Press
The European Union will insist that any new Palestinian unity government respects international demands to recognize Israel, renounce violence and commit to new peace talks, a top EU official said Monday.
EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner welcomed reports of an agreement between the militant group Hamas and Fatah on naming a U.S.-educated professor to head a new unity government.
At talks here, EU foreign ministers were to urge Hamas and Fatah to seek an "early engagement" of peace talks with Israel.
The EU's foreign ministers remained divided, however, over their response to Israel's recent military operation in the Gaza Strip, during which 19 Palestinian civilians died last week.
At talks in Brussels, diplomats said Germany, Britain and the Czech Republic opposed publicly condemning Israel in a statement meant to be issued by foreign ministers later Monday.
Ireland, Sweden and Spain wanted to issue a stern declaration to criticize last week's Israeli military shelling which killed 19 civilians in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun.
The attack, which Israel said was unintentional, led to widespread international condemnation.
The United States, however, vetoed an Arab-backed United Nations Security Council resolution meant to condemn the Gaza offensive.
An EU official said the EU ministers were to reiterate "very strong concerns" over the deaths of civilians, warning Israel to show "utmost restraint" in its military actions, which a draft statement says "should not be disproportionate and should not be contrary to international humanitarian law."
The EU foreign ministers were also expected to reiterate their support for the efforts of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to form a unity government with the militant Hamas group.
"At this point, I'm optimistic," said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana as he entered the meeting of the 25 foreign ministers.
As the foreign ministers met, a senior Hamas official in Damascus confirmed that Hamas and Fatah had agreed on naming Mohammed Shabir to head the next Palestinian unity government.
They were to issue a declaration urging reconciliation between Hamas and Abbas' Fatah movement.
Abbas said on Saturday that he hoped a united government could be formed by the end of the month leading to an end of the international aid boycott imposed when Hamas took over the government in March.
Such a united government, Solana said, "would allow us to move the process forward. I hope very much that President Abbas is going to continue working in that direction."
"I hope there will be also a new truce and that will allow the international community to be cooperating normally with the Palestinian authorities. Let's hope that that's the case," Solana said.
The EU ministers were to reiterate "very strong concerns" over the deaths of civilians, warning Israel to show "utmost restraint" in its military actions which a draft statement says "should not be disproportionate and should not be contrary to international humanitarian law," an EU official said.
Solana was to brief the EU ministers on his trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories two weeks ago.
After concluding his six-day tour of the Middle East, the EU's top envoy said he was more skeptical than ever about prospects for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
The EU ministers are also expected to extend their border assistance mission for the Rafah crossing on the Gaza-Egypt border for a further six months, after negotiations with Israel on a new agreement on how EU monitors will be able to work at the crossing.
Solana has put pressure on Israel to ensure the crossing, which has been closed by Israel for the most of the past four months, will be reopened on a regular basis soon.
The Rafah passage, previously controlled by Israel, was handed to EU-supervised Palestinian control last year under a U.S.-brokered accord.
EU officials and diplomats have growing fears that fighting between Fatah and Hamas supporters might lead to civil war in the Gaza Strip, which has suffered the brunt of the international boycott against the Hamas-led government.