Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-11-15-Speech-3-171"
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"en.20061115.14.3-171"2
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"Mr President, the international community has taken its eye off the ball in relation to the ongoing crisis in Gaza. It has been distracted by other Middle East events such as the war in Lebanon, Iraq and Iran. We must all renew our efforts to find and encourage a peace process in Gaza. Compromises have to be made by both the Palestinians and the Israelis to end the conflict, which is destroying so many lives on both sides.
I welcome efforts from Hamas and Fatah to form a unity government in an effort to end the international embargo on Palestine. I urge Hamas, under the new Administration, to recognise Israel or accept a viable two-state solution to the Middle East conflict, which I believe is the only way forward.
I condemn the rocket fire by Palestinian militants from Gaza this morning, which killed an elderly woman and wounded another person in the Israeli town of Sderot. I also condemn the deaths of the 18 civilians in the shelling of Beit Hanoun by the Israeli defence forces last week. But an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind.
While I recognise that Israel has the right to defend itself against attack, many of us saw the documentary on Gaza yesterday and listened to our colleagues who had recently visited the region. I was shocked by what I heard and saw: the sheer brutality that has been inflicted on Palestinian civilians. Both sides have to realise that the only solution is to sit down and talk. Dialogue is the only way forward. Courageous leadership is needed on both sides. We are only too aware in Ireland of the cycle of violence caused by such conflicts. We also know only too well the enormous benefits that can accrue to everyone when violence ends and real negotiation and dialogue take place.
We must all strive to build confidence. The EU has increased assistance to the Palestinian people this year and has called for the immediate payment by Israel of withheld tax and customs revenue. It also continues to seek the release of the captured Israeli soldier and of Palestinian legislators detained in Israel, as well as the reopening of the Gaza crossing points.
The EU has an obligation to protect civilian lives. At this time, it is in a stronger position to act as an honest broker than Britain or America. Reasonable people must stand up and do something about what is going on. Evil will continue to prevail if we do nothing."@en1
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