EU urges Palestinians to unite to save Gaza in Brussels meeting

EU foreign ministers, at talks in Brussels, also urged Arab nations to use their influence with Hamas, after its 22-day war with Israel in Gaza, and the Fatah faction of President Mahmud Abbas, the bloc's main interlocutor.  Â

 

"We believe that Palestinian reconciliation behind President Mahmud Abbas is fundamental to progress," Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency, was quoted by AFP as saying.

 

"The humanitarian concerns are naturally a priority but the political process must follow close behind," he said, after chairing EU talks with Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, Turkey and Norway.

 

"It is the parties themselves who need to genuinely want peace and to be prepared to make the concessions necessary to get there," he told reporters.

 

Hamas holds sway over the impoverished coastal strip of land -- Fatah controls the West Bank -- but was rocked in recent weeks by a massive Israeli assault aimed at stopping militants firing rockets at civilians.

 

More than 1,300 Palestinians were killed and some 5,300 people wounded in Operation Cast Lead, launched on December 27. More than 4,000 homes were destroyed and 17,000 damaged.

 

Israel lost 10 soldiers and three civilians.

 

PERMANENT CEASEFIRE

Turkey expected the ceasefire would be permanent, Palestinians would reach a consensus among themselves, and the Middle East peace process would advance, Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan was quoted by Anatolian Agency as telling reporters prior to the meeting.

 

Turkey, which had been holding EU membership talks, was also a member of NATO and had close dialogue with Arabian countries, Babacan said.

 

He added Turkey would continue to exert efforts for peace in the Middle East on basis of those relations.

 

Following the meeting, Schwarzenberg thanked Turkey for its intense efforts for the ceasefire in Gaza, the agency added.