It now appears, two weeks after the Israeli naval raid on the Freedom Flotilla bound for Gaza, that the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza’s maritime space will only be strengthened, with European and American help to engage in a complicated inspection regime in the Mediterranean Sea — while Israeli military-administered sanctions against Gaza via its land crossings will be somewhat eased.
Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, told a special session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg today, concerning the situation in Gaza, that “It will not be easy to find an agreed way to lift the blockade”…
Ashton continued: “It [lifting the blockade] needs the cooperation of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The EU and many others have long called for an end to the blockade. But the political parameters have changed. The circumstances now are different.
First, we need to open the crossings so that humanitarian aid, commercial goods and civilians can enter and exit Gaza normally. This is in line with our well established position and Security Council resolutions. But most importantly, it was laid down in the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access agreed between Israel the Palestinian Authority in 2005. This agreement is the key framework.
Second, instead of a list of a very restricted number of products that are allowed in, there should be a short, agreed list of prohibited goods where Israel has legitimate security concerns. According to my own discussions, it seems we are moving in this direction on both crossings and goods.
Third, the EU has people and a mission in Rafah that could be reactivated [n.b. – actually, the people were based the Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon, Israel, and were driven around Gaza’s perimeter to Rafah to work every day.] And we are ready to support in the opening of other land crossings for goods and people, recalibrating our Mission or developing a new one. There may also be a possibility of a more complex maritime option for a CSDP [EU Common Security and Defense Policy] mission. [n.b. – The dormant Rafah observation mission is one EU CSDP mission, and the EU COPPS police support mission now based in Ramallah is the second CSDP mission here…]”
Ashton continued: “We are working hard on all action tracks … We will send an exploratory mission shortly to see how we can best contribute to a solution that works for the people of Gaza while addressing the concerns of Israel. The wider issue here is that a lifting of the blockade should help to bring peace. Gaza is an integral part of the future Palestinian state. So we need to work on re-unifying the West Bank with Gaza in the same way that we must help the reconciliation of the Palestinian people. These are all essential ingredients for the two-state solution that remains our goal. It is positive that we have succeeded in preserving the Israel-Palestinian proximity talks and our Arab partners deserve credit for this. The Quartet should play an important role in engaging the parties and setting the direction for our collective efforts: to end Gaza’s dangerous isolation and to work for peace in the region”.
Ashton also said that “What happened on the seas outside Gaza was unacceptable. We said so immediately, loud and clear.
Nine people died in international waters under circumstances that demand an inquiry. This must be an inquiry that Israelis, Palestinians and above all the people of Turkey can believe in. Israel has announced the creation of an independent Commission with the participation of 2 senior international members as observers. This is a step forward. But the EU will follow closely the conduct and findings of the Commission before drawing further conclusions. The military attack on the flotilla has captured the world’s attention. The loss of life has been tragic. But we need to remind ourselves why the flotilla was heading for Gaza in the first place. That underlying cause is the terrible plight of Gaza, which is now back on peoples’ radar. I have seen it myself, three months ago, as the first politician allowed to enter into Gaza from Israel for more than a year. What I saw was shocking”…