“The default European position should not be to wait to find out what the Americans are going to do, and if the Americans don't do anything to wring our hands," Patten said in an interview with the British daily The Guardian.
The former EU chief said he agreed with Arab League chief Amr Moussa’s description of the Middle East quartet, which consists of the US, UN, EU and Russia, as the “quartet sans trois.”
Noting that Israel’s four-year blockade of the coastal enclave has failed to weaken Hamas, he added that Israel’s recent easing of the siege, which has seen cosmetics and certain foods allowed in, has done nothing to restore economic activity in Gaza.
Further, questioning what preventing exports from the Strip has to do with security, Patten said the policy “has everything to do with the view that Gaza should be collectively punished to discredit Hamas.” [Collective punishment is a war crime according to the Geneva Conventions.]
Presuming that the international community and Israel want “sooner rather than later” to have a partner for negotiations to peace, he said, “It's difficult to know how you accomplish that if you deny the people of Gaza any social or economic progress."
Patten’s comments echoed those of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who visited Gaza Sunday. Ashton reiterated her calls for an end to the siege, in particular to allow exports, and insisted that the people of Gaza must be allowed to grow their own economy.
The UN has repeatedly demanded an end to the siege. Amnesty International issued a joint statement Sunday with 18 international human rights organizations demanding “a full lifting of the blockade of Gaza, not just its easing.” The Association of Southeast Asian Nations called for an end to the siege ahead of its annual conference, Agence-France Presse reported Sunday.
Posts
