http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=74722&pt=n
http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=74722&pt=n
THURSDAY 29/06/2006 11:49:32
de Brun calls for Israel trade suspension
European Union chiefs have been urged to suspend trade
links with Israel following its offensive in the Gaza
Strip to free an Israeli soldier.
By:Press Association
After the rounding up of seven Palestinian ministers
and 20 MPs in raids in several towns on the West Bank,
Northern Ireland`s Sinn Fein MEP Bairbre de Brun said:
"The European Union can take a number of initiatives
to influence this situation.
"The immediate restoration of both US and EU funding
to the Palestinian Authority is required so that the
economic situation does not further deteriorate.
"Secondly, in light of the latest collective
punishment against Palestinians, the EU should suspend
its preferential trade agreement with Israel," said
the former Stormont health minister.
"The EU-Israel Association Agreement grants Israel
favourable trading terms with the EU. This agreement
includes a clause which states that the agreement is
based on respect for human rights and democratic
principles."
Israeli air strikes in Gaza have destroyed several
bridges and targeted electricity supplies following
the abduction of 19-year-old Corporal Gilad Shalit by
Palestinian militants during an attack on an Israeli
border post on Sunday in which two Israeli soldiers
were killed.
Israel has blamed Hamas political chief Khaled Meshaal
for authorising the kidnapping of the soldier and has
warned Syria not to shelter him.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has warned that Israel
would not hesitate to launch extreme action to free
Cpl Shalit, but has insisted his government did not
want to re-take control of Gaza.
Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority,
has called the air strikes a collective punishment.
The Palestinian Authority`s Hamas prime minister
Ismail Haniya has also accused the United States
government of approving the Israeli incursion.
Ms de Brun said the situation in the Gaza Strip and
the West Bank was in danger of spiralling out of
control, with the civilian populations likely to bear
the brunt.
"The international community, including the EU, is an
integral part of the Middle East Peace Process and
must therefore take decisive action to show that it is
opposed to such Israeli aggression," the Sinn Fein MEP
said.
"Both myself and my colleagues will be arguing that
these matters are debated with extreme urgency at the
European Parliament in Strasbourg next week, leading
to a strong response from both the European Parliament
and the other European institutions."
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