EU FOREIGN ministers have condemned the shelling of UN buildings in Gaza and the high level of civilian casualties incurred during Israel’s three-week attack on the enclave.
But they stopped short of backing an Irish call to support the establishment of an independent inquiry to determine if Israeli forces committed war crimes in Gaza.
“Different countries have different priorities here. We, along with other countries, fought to have this included. . . Obviously some of us would have liked stronger wording,” said Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin, referring to the EU’s formal conclusions on Gaza.
“The Council [of Ministers] reminds all parties to the conflict to fully respect human rights and comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and will follow closely investigations into alleged violations of international humanitarian law,” said the EU.
Belgium, Greece, Cyprus and Sweden backed Ireland but Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, along with several other states, opposed the call for an inquiry. The EU statement did however condemn the shelling of UN buildings in Gaza and called for Israel to immediately open the border crossings into Gaza to allow aid to flow.
Oxfam strongly criticised the EU statement, which it said failed to put the maximum pressure on Israel. “After 19 months of blockade and three weeks of violent conflict, what the ordinary people of Gaza need now is a lifeline from the EU, not another 19 months of collective punishment,” said Oxfam International’s Elise Ford.
EU aid commissioner Louis Michel, who visited Gaza to assess the humanitarian situation yesterday, described Israel’s bombardment as “abominable” and “unjustified”. But he also strongly criticised Hamas, which controls Gaza, for “acting in the way of a terrorist movement”, by using civilians as human shields during the three-week conflict.
A Hamas official, Mushir al-Masri, strongly criticised Mr Michel for his criticism of the group. “It was shocking to see a European official giving cover to massacres and terrorism committed by the Zionist enemy against the Palestinian people,” he said.
EU officials currently refuse to talk to Hamas, which they have listed as a terrorist organisation since 2003. But there was a call this week by the Finnish foreign minister, Alexander Stubb, for the EU to consider reviewing its policy towards Hamas.
EU diplomats said there is no majority in the Union for this to happen in the short term. But the Union is pressing for the creation of a new reconciliation government between the two rival Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah. It is supporting Egyptian talks with Hamas aimed at getting the group to sign up to a credible peace plan.
The EU also agreed yesterday to study how it could help to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza, which is a key demand made by Israel. France is proposing to send a naval mission to the region, which could patrol the Red Sea – a key route used by arms smugglers.