Nov 27,
2023. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
Delegations
from European Union member states, Middle Eastern countries and North African
states met on Monday in Barcelona to demand an end to the war between Israel
and Hamas.
The meeting was dominated by calls for an end to the conflict in the
Gaza Strip, while Palestinian officials called for an extension of the truce.
Calls for
an end to the war between Israel and Hamas were at the center of a meeting of
42 European Union, Middle East and North African states participating in the
meeting organized by the Union for the Mediterranean.
"Nothing
can justify Hamas's brutality against civilians on October 7, but one horror
does not justify another horror," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell
said. "The pause must be extended, made stable and long-term, while at the
same time working towards a political solution. A political solution would
allow us to break the cycle of violence once and for all. The more we allow
extremists to set the agenda, the more extremism will spread, not only in the
region, but there will be consequences for us in Europe as well."
Israel does
not participate in this forum, which in recent years has served as a platform
for cooperation between the European Union and the Arab world.
Meanwhile,
the Palestinian foreign minister also called for the continuation of the
current four-day ceasefire, which ends today.
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