EU envoy lays Gaza blame on Hamas

[TriWooOx]

A senior European Union official touring war-torn Gaza has blamed the ruling militant movement Hamas for the humanitarian crisis there.

Humanitarian aid chief Louis Michel called the destruction left by Israel's offensive "abominable", but said Hamas bore "overwhelming responsibility".

He said there would be no dialogue with with the "terrorist" movement until it gave up violence and recognised Israel.

He also announced emergency aid for Gaza worth more than US $70m (£50m).

"It is abominable, indescribable," Mr Michel told reporters after touring some of the worst-hit places of Israel's 22-day assault which killed about 1,300 Palestinians, including 400 children. Thirteen Israelis were also killed in the conflict.

"At this time we have to also recall the overwhelming responsibility of Hamas," he said.


"I intentionally say this here - Hamas is a terrorist movement and it has to be denounced as such."

Sick of paying

Mr Michel later visited the Israel town of Sderot, which has been target of Palestinian militant rocket fire, where he called on Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza and he accused both sides of failing to respect international humanitarian law.

"Please open the crossings, you have to broaden the range of products that you let in," he said. "We, the EU, condemn Qassam attacks and military options which target the civilian population.

The former Belgian foreign minister insisted there would be no dialogue with Hamas, and its use of terrorism against Israeli civilians meant it was not a legitimate resistance movement.

The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Gaza says some aid agencies have expressed doubts about how effective a reconstruction drive in Gaza can be, without the involvement of Hamas, the people in charge there.

Announcing the extra aid package, Mr Michel said people in the EU were sick of paying for the same infrastructure being destroyed over and over again in Israeli military action.

The body is the main donor to the Palestinians, having given three billion euros since 2000, Mr Michel said.

"Every year, we spend 600 to 700 million euros. Today we decided on a supplementary payment of 60 million euros."

'Reinvigorate process'

Separately, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said he was heading to the Middle East to join international efforts to cement a permanent cease-fire between Hamas and Israel.

He said he would spend a week in the region starting with meetings with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo on Tuesday.

Israeli and Palestinian faction representatives have visited Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials since a non-negotiated ceasefire came into effect on 18 January.

Hamas wants an end of Israel's punishing blockade of Gaza.

Israel, which will hold a general elections on 10 February, wants a long-term ceasefire and curbs on Hamas rearming.

US envoy George Mitchell will leave on Monday for the region to to bolster a truce in Gaza, respond to humanitarian problems and "reinvigorate the peace process," a spokesman said Monday.

Mr Mitchell will "meet with senior officials to discuss the peace process and the situation in Gaza", a State Department spokesman said.

In his first trip to the region in his new role, Mr Mitchell will visit Israel and the West Bank, Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, with European stops including Paris and London.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle ... 851545.stm

[Travis]

What a bunch of CS! Following their rational if a bunch of Israelis gang raped a Palestinian girl I guess they would blame her on the grounds she has a vagina!

I have been very ill these few days and this stuff is making me more sick, I do not know how much more my soul can take this.

[Ognir]

Louis Michel

Jerusalem, February 15, 2004

Belgian Foreign Minister to Visit Israel
(Communicated by the Foreign Ministry Spokesman)

The Foreign Minister of Belgium, Louis Michel, will arrive in Israel tomorrow, 16 February, for a two-day visit.

During his visit, Mr. Michel will meet with the Israeli Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Industry and Trade, the Head of the Opposition, and the Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee. He will also visit Yad Vashem The Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority.

Foreign Minister Michel will give a lecture at the "Israel and Wider Europe Conference", which will take place at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya.

The last time the Belgian Foreign Minister visited Israel was in November 2001.

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Min ... eb+15-.htm

Haha, they had yet another ace in the hole, waiting