Brussels:Sixty members of the European Parliament have urged EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to hold an immediate meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers. The aim of the meeting would be to reach a consensus on imposing sanctions on the Israeli government.
According to Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA – English, the request was made in a letter sent to Kallas on Monday evening by lawmakers from various political groups within the European Parliament. The lawmakers have expressed concern over Israel's blockade on the occupied West Bank since last Friday, describing it as 'collective punishment,' which they argue constitutes a war crime under international law.
The letter also highlighted the demolition of Palestinian homes in Hebron, where some families were given only five minutes to evacuate. The lawmakers view these actions as a pivotal moment for the West Bank's future and the feasibility of a Palestinian state. They emphasized that the European Union must not remain silent regarding what they perceive as Israel's extensive assault on the West Bank.
Furthermore, the lawmakers have appealed for the EU to condemn these measures, demand the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the West Bank, and organize a foreign ministers' meeting to agree on sanctions. The situation has seen Israeli forces enforcing a blockade on Hebron, affecting 619 families, with 3,971 Palestinians displaced and 85 arrested. This escalation is part of ongoing violence since the Israeli military campaign began in Gaza on October 7, 2023.