THE EU, the largest international aid donor to the Palestinian Authority, has been assessing what role it can play in putting the Israeli Palestinian peace process back on track.
The Italian Foreign Minister, Ms Susanna Agnelli, in her role as President of the Council of Foreign Ministers, visited Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Tuesday and will report to, foreign ministers; when they meet in Palermo this weekend.
The meeting may decide, diplomats say, to send a full troika delegation back, only, weeks after the blast one returned.
Ms Agnelli is quoted in the Italian paper Corriere della Serra as saying during her visit that "we will allow the Palestinian authorities the possibility of doing their share of the work of the fight against terrorism as Arafat has promised. If they don't do this, Israel will have to act on its own."
The words are likely to cause a frisson of embarrassment in European capitals with their suggestion of a threat of EU support for punitive action by the Israelis. They were described yesterday by one diplomat as "crude".
The EU's central message, a spokesman for the Commission said yesterday, was of encouragement to all to pursue the pence process and not be deflected by terrorism. He said there was no question of the EU reviewing its programme of financial support for the Palestinian Authority.
"It is more important than ever," he said, reflecting similar concerns emanating from Washington.
The EU has committed a total of, £170 million in aid to the West Bank and Gaza in the last three years. It is unlikely, moreover, to rush into measures against Iran and Syria. It has resisted US pressure last year to escalate sanctions against Tehran, preferring instead its own "critical dialogue".
Meanwhile the French government yesterday called in both the Iranian and Libyan ambassadors to protest at their countries' praise for the suicide bombers. A foreign ministry spokesman said further, measures were under consideration. The French ambassador was called in to the Tehran foreign ministry to hear counter protests at France's outspoken condemnation, of Iran's position.
Mark Brennock adds:
The Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Spring, condemned the recent bombings in Israel, saying they were "another savage attack on Israeli citizens and the Middle East peace process."
"I condemn these vicious outrages in the strongest terms and extend my own and the Government's sympathy, to the relatives of those who were killed and to those injured in the explosions," he said. "The Irish Government extends its' sympathy and solidarity to the government and people of Israel at this dark hour."
