EU Endorses Reconstruction Initiative for Gaza via Palestinian Authority: Chief Diplomat
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Synopsis
Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign affairs chief, confirmed the Union's backing of the Gaza reconstruction plan supported by an emergency Arab summit. She emphasized the necessity for the Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza and discussed the strong ties between the EU and Palestine, condemning Israeli actions that threaten peace.
Key Takeaways
- EU supports Gaza reconstruction plan
- Palestinian Authority urged to govern Gaza
- High-level dialogue between EU and Palestine upcoming
- Kallas condemns Israeli actions in West Bank
- Mustafa calls for continued international pressure on Israel
Ramallah, March 25 (NationPress) Kaja Kallas, the European Union's (EU) chief representative for foreign affairs and security policy, announced that the EU backs the Gaza reconstruction initiative that was sanctioned by an emergency Arab summit earlier this month.
In a press briefing following her talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, Kallas remarked that she "reviewed the Arab plan for Gaza, which the EU is firmly in favor of," adding that the EU "will play a role in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip."
The EU asserts that "the Palestinian Authority ought to govern Gaza," and it will "extend support to the Palestinian government to aid it in fulfilling its responsibilities in the Strip," Kallas stated.
"The EU's ties with Palestine are strengthening, and in under a month, a high-level political dialogue will take place in Brussels for the first time with Palestine, which will serve as a crucial foundation for enhancing cooperation on various fronts for years ahead," she said.
Kallas also denounced Israeli actions in the West Bank, stating they "are undermining the two-state solution, which is the only viable path to enduring peace."
Mustafa characterized Israel's recent offensive on Gaza as "serious violations of international law and the rights of the Palestinian people," and called for ongoing international pressure on Israel to cease its campaign, while ensuring accountability for its conduct, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
He further requested EU assistance for the reconstruction of Gaza.
On the same day, Kallas held a separate meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, during which Abbas emphasized the necessity of opening border crossings to facilitate the urgent entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, ensuring the State of Palestine fulfills its complete responsibilities in the enclave, and securing a total Israeli withdrawal from the Strip, as reported by the Palestinian official news agency WAFA.
Since March 2, Israel has halted the entry of all essential supplies, such as food, medications, fuel, and cooking gas, into Gaza. It has also disrupted power to southern Gaza's desalination facility, limiting access to clean water for around 600,000 individuals.
On March 18, Israel resumed airstrikes in Gaza after its ceasefire agreement with Hamas, which commenced on January 19, collapsed. Israeli forces subsequently initiated ground operations in southern, northern, and central Gaza.
According to health authorities based in Gaza, the death toll from the renewed Israeli offensive on the enclave has exceeded 730.
