The European Council has demanded that Israel allow the immediate and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip, open crossings, transit points, and the medical corridor between the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem, and release withheld Palestinian clearance funds.
اضافة اعلان
At the conclusion of the summit held in the Belgian capital, Brussels, on June 18 and 19, European Union leaders reaffirmed the EU's commitment to the two-state solution and its rejection of unilateral Israeli measures in the occupied Palestinian territory.
European leaders expressed grave concern over the deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem, and the ongoing catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the Strip, emphasizing the need for urgent action to alleviate the suffering of civilians and create the necessary conditions for achieving a lasting peace.
The Council called on Israel to permit immediate and sustainable humanitarian access to all areas of the Gaza Strip, enable the United Nations, its agencies, and humanitarian organizations to operate independently, and open crossings, transit points, and the medical corridor between Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. It also called for allowing international media access to the Strip, rescinding the NGO registration law, and fully complying with the provisions of international law and the protection of civilians at all times.
Furthermore, it reiterated the EU's commitment to achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on the two-state solution in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, whereby two democratic states—Palestine and Israel—live side by side in peace within secure and recognized borders.
European leaders also demanded that Israel release all withheld Palestinian financial revenues and tax returns, and maintain correspondent banking services between Palestinian and Israeli banks, given their critical importance to the continuity of Palestinian institutions and the provision of essential services to citizens.
Regarding political efforts, the European Council called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2803 by all parties, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, the permanent disarmament of Hamas and other factions, and the deployment of a temporary international stabilization force. It emphasized the EU's continued support for efforts aimed at ending the war, strengthening the role of Palestinian institutions, and supporting the Palestinian National Authority.
The European Council explicitly rejected Israel's declared intention to impose control over approximately 70% of the Gaza Strip's area, stressing its strong opposition to this step and its adherence to establishing a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution in accordance with international legitimacy.
European leaders also condemned what they described as the behavior of extremist Israeli ministers who incite and encourage human rights violations. They further condemned the mistreatment of detainees, including European citizens, following the interception of the "Global Resilience" flotilla in international waters, noting that they took note of the Council of the European Union's intention to continue considering the imposition of restrictive measures against those responsible for these violations.
