EU FOREIGN ministers pressed Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni last night to allow humanitarian aid to flow freely into Gaza and engage in a credible peace process.
They also expressed concern at the disproportionate use of force applied by Israel during its three- week assault against Hamas, which cost 1,300 Palestinian lives.
“It is very important that Gaza is open, that the crossings are opened, so that the help the international community is willing to give can arrive,” said EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana shortly before an EU foreign ministers’ dinner in Brussels attended by Ms Livni.
Dick Roche, who represented the Government at the dinner, said he remained concerned at the consequences of the disproportionate Israeli military action in Gaza.
“From our own experience we know that only by talking can you move forward,” he said.
In a sign of a possible shift in EU thinking on Hamas, however, Finnish foreign minister Alexander Stubb wrote in his blog: “The EU will also need to consider its position towards Hamas. Is a permanent peace process possible without discussing it?”