Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
WASHINGTON DC, 13th Dec. Four leaders of the European Union on Tuesday have urged the bloc to agree on a firm position complete with sanctions on the situation in the West Bank.
The leaders of Belgium, Ireland, Spain and Malta said in a letter addressed to European Council President Charles Michel dated December 8 that “We must avoid escalation in the West Bank, for which we propose imposing targetted travel bans and asset freezes on violent settlers who are attacking and displacing Palestinian settlers”.
It highlighted the “death toll, level of destruction and the dire humanitarian situation” in Gaza, the letter said a clear and firm position by the EU was needed, Xinhua news agency reported.
They reiterated their condemnation of Hamas and Israel’s right to defend itself “in line with international law,” the four countries said the EU had “reached a moment where it must go further on three issues”.
The leaders call for a “lasting humanitarian ceasefire” to end the hostilities; UN humanitarian agencies to be allowed to carry on their work unhindered; and for infrastructure in the strip to be restored in addition to the travel bans and asset freezes.
They said this should include the reopening of the Karem Shalom crossing, which straddles the Gaza-Egypt and Gaza-Israel borders, to allow food, water, medicine and fuel into the conflict-stricken Palestinian enclave.
The letter called the number of casualties in Gaza “unbearable,” the letter stressed the “urgent need” for a political process to implement a two-state solution.
Comments are closed.