EU Parliament Delegates Call for Immediate Action to End the Brutal Israeli Siege of Gaza

Published yesterday (updated) 28/05/2010 19:41

Bethlehem - Ma'an -

European delegates from the continent's Parliamentary committees for Foreign Affairs, Budgets and Development left Gaza upon the conclusion of their fact-finding mission and called for an end to the brutal Israeli siege of 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza Strip.

The nine delegates were hosted by UNRWA on Friday, and toured programs and facilities funded by the European Union in an effort to assess the impact of EU financial assistance in the coastal enclave, a statement said.

“The alarming and worsening humanitarian situation calls for an immediate, comprehensive and lasting end to the Israeli blockade on Gaza,” members communicated in a statement.

"The siege has completely isolated the people of Gaza, condemning them to a life of extreme poverty," delegates observed, saying the blockade was not only "hurting the population and creating a black market, it is also playing into the hands of the most radical factions and empowering them by providing them with extra funds."

Delegates called on the EU to "launch a political initiative without delay to lift the blockade and begin reconstruction of basic infrastructure," noting that "Seeing is believing when it comes to understanding the situation in Gaza," and urging other governments to travel to the region and observe the realities.

"The EU must actively engage to become a genuine peace player," the statement said.

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