The European Union Tuesday warned that the security situation continues to deteriorate in Palestine and hence wants to revive the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP) with the support of the Arab League and Saudi Arabia.
"We are working through our EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process (Sven Koopmans), to revive peace efforts with regional partners, in particular Saudi Arabia and the League of Arab States," EU High Representative Josep Borrell told a debate on Palestine in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this evening.
"We will continue to work with all our partners and particularly together with Saudi Foreign Minister (Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud) and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (Ahmed Aboul-Gheit) to revive Middle East peace efforts by exploring a comprehensive regional peace approach," he said.
Borrell noted that this year alone, the number of Palestinians killed in confrontations with the Israeli-occupation forces in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, has more than doubled compared to the same period last year - to more than 130, including at least 22 children, in addition to five Palestinians killed and large-scale destruction of property by Israeli settlers.
"We are also witnessing an alarming increase of demolitions, evictions, and settlement expansion, with around 13,000 new settlement units announced in the occupied West Bank and approved by Israel in the past six months alone, and new administrative procedures to expedite settlement expansion," he said.
The EU has urged Israel not to proceed with these measures, which are illegal under international law, he said.
"All these developments only serve to fuel the cycle of violence that has accelerated to alarming levels in recent months," said Borrell whose speech was delivered on his behalf by EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen.
"There is no viable alternative to the Two-state solution - and the longer it takes, the more difficult it will become," stressed the EU foreign policy chief.
Further, he called on the Palestinian Authority to urgently continue its financial reforms to steer towards calmer waters.
"Politically, the Palestinian Authority is also facing internal challenges. We are witnessing increasingly negative trends as regards rule of law and fundamental freedoms in areas where the Palestinian Authority is in control, and in Gaza," he said.
He said the European Union continues to urge to hold the overdue national elections as soon as possible.
"The Palestinian people need a government that can govern effectively in all Palestinian territory and with full popular support. This also means giving Palestinian civil society, especially young people, more space and better participation in decision-making," he added.
Source: Kuwait News Agency