Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

EU statement provides green light for Israeli onslaught and betrayal of the principles of human rights on which the EU was founded

[ 23/07/2014 - 12:50 PM ]

LONDON,(PIC)--

The Arab Organization for Human Rights in UK (AOHR UK) has stressed that EU leaders’ statement regarding the Israeli attack on Gaza is nothing short of a betrayal of the principles of human rights on which the EU was founded.

AOHR UK added in a statement on Wednesday that the EU statement on Tuesday ( July 16, 2014) had put the victim on par with the killer and lacked any reference to the need to cease the targeting of civilians at a time when the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes had topped 213, most of them women and children, in addition to the 1623 Palestinians who have been wounded. Israeli massacres wiped out most members of at least 15 Palestinian families.

On Wednesday, Israeli shells killed four boys from the Bakr family playing on a beach in Gaza. As well as on Thursday 17/07/2014, Israeli warplanes targeted Shuheiber family house in Sabra neighborhood in central Gaza killing three children Fulla, Jihad and Waseem, ages between 8 and 10 years, the statement added.

AOHR UK pointed out that, despite all these facts, EU leaders’ statement referred to “Israel’s right to defend itself” without announcing any measures against Israel, which enjoys military and economic privileges with the EU, similar to the measures undertaken by the EU to punish other countries which committed crimes against innocent civilians.

AOHR UK stressed that the EU position vis-à-vis Israeli crimes was not surprising considering EU’s history of justifying Israeli atrocities, a stand which implies that human rights are divisible and could be breached with total impunity.

The organization said that EU leaders’ statement does not represent the position of most Europeans who condemn the killing of civilians in Gaza and view them as crimes against humanity that should not go unpunished.

AOHR UK urged EU countries to revisit their shameful position and put an immediate freeze on all security and military contracts with Israel because Palestinian women and children are being murdered with European technology and weapons Israel imports from Europe.

The Organization called upon EU countries especially Britain, France and Germany to freeze all contracts with Israel and put an immediate stop to all arms exports to Israel. Reports estimate that these three countries alone account for billions of dollars’ worth of weapons deals with Israel.

The Organization also urged the international community to sever its military links with Israel and cease their arms imports from Israel because most of these weapons had been tested on innocent civilians. Reports from Gaza indicate that Israel has used newly-developed weapons during its latest offensive on Gaza in a clear sign that Israel is testing these weapons in preparation for marketing them.

European leaders have called for civilians to be protected as a five-hour ceasefire begins

Anadolu17 July 2014, 12:20

BRUSSELS --

European Union leaders have called for Israel to guarantee the protection of civilians and act "proportionately" in its military operations in Gaza.

In a statement at the end of a summit in Brussels on Wednesday, the heads of government said the EU "deplores the loss of innocent lives and the high number of wounded civilians in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israeli military operations and is deeply concerned about the rapid and dramatic deterioration of the humanitarian situation."

While recognizing Israel's right to protect its population from rocket attacks from Gaza, "it must act proportionately and ensure the protection of civilians at all times. It deeply deplores the loss of innocent lives and the high number of wounded civilians."

The statement called for both sides to "de-escalate the situation, to end the violence, to end the suffering of the civilian populations… and return to calm."

Nine days of violence have claimed 227 Palestinian lives, mostly civilians. One Israeli has been killed by rockets fired from Gaza.

The statement was made before a five-hour ceasefire agreed between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas to allow humanitarian access to Gaza. The ceasefire is due to end at 3pm local time (12.00 GMT).

http://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/360011--eu-urges-de-escalation-in-gaza

Head of Arab Parliament criticizes UNSC's statement on Gaza aggression

[ 23/07/2014 - 09:42 AM ]

CAIRO, (PIC)--

Head of the Arab Parliament Ahmad al-Jarwan has the latest statement issued by UN Security Council (UNSC) on the Israeli aggression on Gaza, saying it does not live up to the event.

The Israeli crimes against Palestinian civilians required a stronger intervention from the Security Council which should not equalize between the victim and aggressor, al-Jarwan said in a statement no Monday.

UN Security Council's statement failed to deter Israeli wars against Gazan civilians, he added, affirming that Shujaia massacre which resulted in the killing of hundreds of people, including children, was a crime against humanity and all human values.

Al-Jarwan said that the Israeli war machine targeted populated civilian areas, including hospitals filled with injured people.

He called on the international community and the UN Security Council to immediately intervene and end Israeli massacres and to hold Israeli war criminals accountable for their continued crimes and violations.