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The EU, excluding Hungary, calls for a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine Human Rights News

Foreign ministers in European Union countries have called for a ceasefire to end days of Palestinian violence, but have failed to reach a consensus that the EU can give strength to peace.

Hungary, Israel’s closest ally in the bloc, declined to join 26 other foreign ministers, calling on EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday to demand a truce in a video call.

After addressing the meeting, Borrell said there was a broad consensus among ministers that “the priority is to stop all violence immediately and establish a ceasefire.”

The usual divisions over the EU’s policy towards Israel and the Palestinians received unusual publicity on Tuesday, and Borrell admitted that Hungary was the only one among the 27 member countries not to accept his remarks. He gave no details.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto later told the AFP news agency: “I have a general problem with these European statements about Israel … They are usually very unilateral, and these statements do not help, especially in current situations, when there is tension. Very high.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has warned that the conflict could spread to the entire region if a ceasefire is not agreed. He also said he hopes Israel will not launch a ground operation in Gaza.

“Each day carries greater risks: the risk of the conflict spreading to the West Bank, the risk of violence within Israel, the risk of the conflict becoming regional,” Le Drian told reporters at a meeting during a meeting at Paris.

However, the rest of the ministers promised that the EU, together with the United States, Russia and the United Nations, would try to restart the peace process.

“At the very least, we can try to achieve a ceasefire, then provide humanitarian aid and then see what can be done to restart the Middle East peace process to address the root causes of the violence,” Maltese Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo told Reuters.

“We can’t let the ends of both sides feed each other and set the agenda,” he said.

At least 217 Palestinians, including 61 children, have been killed in Gaza since the attacks began earlier this month.

About 1,500 Palestinians have been injured. Twelve people have been killed in Israel, including two children, and at least 300 injured.

“The state of the earth is very worrying. The toll on the dead is high. Israeli and Palestinian families are in mourning. The images are awesome and can’t leave anyone indifferent. Waiting is not an option, ”Le Drian said.

He also said, “One of the reasons for the dramatic situation today is precisely because there is no vision for a political process. What we need to do is find a way to a political process, but first and foremost, to ensure that the enemy will end.”

The quartet

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also said “weapons must remain silent in the end.”

Maas stressed the role of the diplomatic quartet, with EU Representative Sven Koopmans as the new Middle East peace envoy, and said “we are in favor of further expanding its mediation efforts”.

The other three members of the quartet are the UN, the US and Russia.

“We need to use relations with both sides to push for steps to build confidence that can lead to a calming of the situation in both Israel and the West Bank,” Maas added.

“Only in this way will it be possible to talk again about a lasting solution to the Middle East conflict.”




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