Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whose country holds the European Union's rotating presidency, called Saturday for a "strong, joint EU position" on Gaza and Israel's blockade.
"We want to forge a strong, joint EU position towards what happened in Gaza and the humanitarian situation in that area," he said after talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas
Zapatero said his foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, would propose to his EU colleagues at a meeting on Monday that the 27-nation bloc "clearly declare itself in favor of ending the blockade of the Gaza Strip."
Moratinos said in a television interview this week that the ministers would discuss "a plan for lifting the blockade" in order to "ensure the entry" of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and people.
A draft text prepared for the ministers meeting in Luxembourg said Israel's blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza is "unacceptable and counterproductive, including from the point or view of Israel's security."
The ministers are to take into account the security concerns of Israel, which fears that arms and other military materials could be smuggled in with legitimate aid.
So the EU will call for the opening of borders under a "new mechanism" with a list of prohibited goods and "strict control over the destination of imported and exported merchandise," according to the text.
Abbas said that he is "satisfied with the EU's role and political position" on Gaza.
Abbas arrived in Europe after a visit to the US, during which he met with President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
On Thursday Abbas warned US officials that the concept of a two-state solution to end the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians "is beginning to erode."
"I would like to express concern that the situation is very difficult," he said in remarks at a Washington think tank. "The concept of a Palestinian state ... with an Israeli state, I fear, is beginning to erode," he said.
Regarding the Israeli army raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla he said, "There are behaviors that the Israelis should desist from in order to present themselves in a positive way. The Arab people are not against peace and neither are the Muslim people."
The Spanish PM said "we hope... that with the efforts of President Obama we will be able within a reasonable time to move to direct dialogue and negotiations" between the Israelis and Palestinians.
From Madrid the Palestinian president is scheduled to fly to Paris, where he will meet with President Nicolas Sarkozy. The two intend to discuss negotiations with Israel as well as the flotilla incident.
[Source: Al-Manar TV]
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