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Israeli Arab women holding photographs during a demonstration against Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip in Nazareth earlier this month. (Reuters)
Last update - 00:59 22/02/2008
EU resolution lambastes Israel over Gaza Strip isolation policy
By Reuters
Tags: European Union, Gaza Strip 

European Union lawmakers urged Israel on Thursday not to inflict "collective punishment" on Gaza's population, saying its isolation of the territory had failed and its actions were endangering civilians.

They urged Israel to lift a blockade which has cut supplies to the 1.5 million people living in Gaza, run by the Islamist group Hamas, and let in aid and essential goods and services.

"The policy of isolation of the Gaza strip has failed at both the political and humanitarian level," the European Parliament said in an adopted resolution.
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"The civilian population should be exempt from any military action and any collective punishment."

Israeli air strikes and ground incursions into the Gaza Strip have killed some 300 Palestinians in the past year, including dozens of civilians, but have failed to prevent rocket fire, which killed two Israelis in the same period.

"The European Parliament calls on Israel to cease military actions killing and endangering civilians, and extrajudicial targeted killings," the resolution said.

The lawmakers also urged the Gaza Strip's rulers Hamas to prevent the firing of rockets into Israel.

They called on the Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, to launch a dialogue with Hamas, an Islamist militant group which is on the EU's list of terrorist organizations.

EU lawmakers have no power over the bloc's foreign policy.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met with the European Union's special envoy to the Middle East Marc Otte on Thursday and told him that "Israel wants to advance in the political process, but we can't afford to close our eyes in the face of the difficult reality of terrorism in Gaza."

"Europe must understand that the choice is between Hamas, or the moderates," she added. "The international community's desire to see changes on the ground leads to a general disregard of the real situation in Gaza, and to pressure to make compromises that Israel cannot afford."

Earlier Thursday, Livni said that the Palestinian people had no future under Hamas, adding that Israel would continue its campaign against the terror created by the Islamist group.

Livni met Thursday with her Romanian counterpart, amid mounting international pressure on Israel over its handling of the situation in the Gaza Strip.

"Europe must internalize that Hamas is not an organization interested in the establishment of a Palestinian state," Livni said, following the talks with Romanian Foreign Minister Adrian Cioroianu. "It is not seeking Palestinian rights, but rather wants to take rights away from others."

She added: "All the indirect support for Hamas - even if nade through discussions on opening border crossings or on the humanitarian situation - only weakens those interested in reaching an agreement."

Related articles:
  • EU envoy warns Gaza could become the next Somalia
  • EU warns Israel not to impose 'collective punishment' in Gaza
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  • EU urges Israel to reconsider cuts to Gaza energy supply
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      1.   Awwww, this nice PC Europeans... 20:02  |  Joe Sittizen 21/02/08
      2.   so why---- 20:04  |  matilda 21/02/08
      3.   Quislings and freeloaders(investigation of Parlament members for 20:09  |  Absolute Sweden 21/02/08
      4.   no zion you cannot strbe gaza to death 20:10  |  get over yourself 21/02/08
      5.   Advice from Europe: no thanks 20:12  |  Stephen in New York 21/02/08
      6.   EU is wrong! 20:17  |  Vital 21/02/08
      7.   Only if. 20:20  |  Baz Mann 21/02/08
      8.   "EU resolution lambastes Israel over Gaza policy " 20:23  |  bat yam 21/02/08
      9.   the dutch cabinet minister said to the jewish man 20:34  |  ivri 21/02/08
      10.   53% of dutchmen would refuse to vote for a jewish 20:36  |  ivri 21/02/08
      11.   So what, sanctions against Apartheid South Africa lasted 10 years 20:40  |  Genuine Tosefta 21/02/08
      12.   austria and holland vie for the position of biggest jew haters 20:41  |  ivri 21/02/08
      13.   EU ignores suffering of Jews 20:41  |  Albert 21/02/08
      14.   europe hates the jews because of sheer envy 20:44  |  ivri 21/02/08
      15.   Very good, balanced resolution 20:45  |  Shlomo from Tel-Aviv 21/02/08
      16.   Europe won`t be happy until they finnish 20:49  |  SystemF 21/02/08
      17.   SHARON/OLMERT DISENGAGEMENT POLICIES TOTAL FAILURE! RETAKE GAZA)) 20:49  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 21/02/08
      18.   spelling! 20:50  |  Daniel 21/02/08
      19.   What a bunch of hippocrites 20:56  |  Richard 21/02/08
      20.   Hamas has alway offered and observed truces which israel 20:57  |  lakshmi 21/02/08
      21.   Shlomo 20:59  |  Brad 21/02/08
      22.   The EU Stinks 21:04  |  Dish it Out 21/02/08
      23.   re: Vital 21:06  |  Paulo 21/02/08
      24.   For Albert # 13 21:07  |  Clickfool 21/02/08
      25.   The dogs bark.... 21:08  |  Tom 21/02/08
      26.   The dogs bark.... 21:08  |  Tom 21/02/08
      27.   The dogs bark.... 21:09  |  Tom 21/02/08
      28.   Par for the Course - They Are Pro Hamas, Pro-terror 21:13  |  Tod Zuckerman 21/02/08
      29.   I think we can all agree Israel`s politicos are useless tosspots 21:16  |  Clickfool 21/02/08
      30.   duh...does EU think 20+ years of Palestinian terror 21:17  |  Jon 21/02/08
      31.   it is not hypocrisy 21:17  |  eyelessingaza 21/02/08
      32.   lakshmi "he called me a prostitute" 21:19  |  amitabh 21/02/08
      33.   The civilian population should be exempt from any military action 21:21  |  Ariel 21/02/08
      34.   those who think of europe as unbiased 21:23  |  eyelessingaza 21/02/08
      35.   These dudes have no say over Foreign Policy. 21:24  |  Stephen. 21/02/08
      36.   EU is Israel`s biggest market 21:25  |  Boycott 21/02/08
      37.   EU resolution lambastes Israel over Gaza policy 21:26  |  Meir Levin 21/02/08
      38.   collective punishment? 21:26  |  Israeli 21/02/08
      39.   300 to 2 21:28  |  B 21/02/08
      40.   The Illegal Gaza Disengagement policy under Road Map has failed 21:28  |  Joseph . E 21/02/08
      41.   Hamas is entitled to a truce 21:29  |  lakshmi 21/02/08
      42.   17. VOICE of CLOWN))) you idiot 21:31  |  get over yourself 21/02/08
      43.   ABsolute Idiot 21:31  |  Jari 21/02/08
      44.   #14 fully correct 21:35  |  Underachiever 21/02/08
      45.   If Boycott Fails, Use Another Tact, Bomb 21:35  |  Dave Levy 21/02/08
      46.   Here come The Trolls 21:36  |  BigBadJohn 21/02/08
      47.   The good news is ... 21:37  |  Andreas 21/02/08
      48.   this on the same day that iran says a countdown 21:38  |  eyelessingaza 21/02/08
      49.   Lakshmi`s lies 21:39  |  john 21/02/08
      50.   EU recognizes and creates new Muslim state in Europe 21:41  |  American 21/02/08
      51.   Takyiya #20 speaks from the throat of all Muslims non-stop 21:41  |  Genuine Tosefta 21/02/08
      52.   in the name of all those of our people you killed europe 21:42  |  outrage 21/02/08
      53.   EU right. Israel drunk on power and arrogance - lost its morality 21:42  |  Jeremy Martin 21/02/08
      54.   EU=BUNCH OF IDIOTS!!!!! 21:44  |  Adina 21/02/08
      55.   the muslim world is growing fast 21:47  |  outrage 21/02/08
      56.   Isn`t it amazing how all the blood........ 21:52  |  Deborah 21/02/08
      57.   Stepehn 21:54  |  Natalie H 21/02/08
      58.   Let`s match the Palestinians in our own actions 21:58  |  Daniel 21/02/08
      59.   tzipi livni 21:59  |  tom 21/02/08
      60.   it isn`t `punishment` 22:02  |  frenz 21/02/08
      61.   Good thing Livni figured it 22:04  |  Montrealer 21/02/08
      62.   lakshmi, need your opinion 22:09  |  JG 21/02/08
      63.   #27 David Levy 22:12  |  hat 21/02/08
      64.   EU AND GAZA 22:15  |  REUVEN 21/02/08
      65.   fine give them electricity - just charge more, a lot more!!! 22:16  |  waste of sand 21/02/08
      66.   44.Genuine (fake)Tosefta you one sick moron 22:19  |  i ain`t lying 21/02/08
      67.   eu 22:21  |  english jew 21/02/08
      68.   48. outrage the kosher moron 22:29  |  pay attention idiot 21/02/08
      69.   #29 Boycott re Public opinion and Israel 22:30  |  Labhras 21/02/08
      70.   Fake Post,39,lakshmi! nice try,fake poster,you even managed to 22:35  |  lakshmi 21/02/08
      71.   #52 Adina