Graham Watson calls for reappraisal of EU policy in the Middle East

1.10.00pm GMT Tue 11th Mar 2008

Graham Watson, Liberal Democrat MEP for the South West and Gibraltar has demanded action on the humanitarian disaster unfolding in the Middle East. Speaking in a debate in the European Parliament last night the MEP said:

"The large numbers of letters I receive on this subject show that like me, a large number of my constituents from across the region share my concerns on this important international issue.

The cycle of violence will not be broken by yet more violence. For peace to succeed we need to foster dialogue. That is surely the primary task of Tony Blair in his capacity as UN Middle East envoy. Clearly there can be no dialogue if Israel delegitimises every interlocutor or if Hamas continues to undermine such efforts by its cynical policy of launching rocket attacks knowing that Israel is likely to respond disproportionately."

He also called into question the EU policy in the Middle East;

"The major condemnation of the EU is that we have followed blindly US policy in the region. As a result, Palestinian infrastructure funded by the European taxpayer is regularly destroyed by Israeli forces using American weapons. Is that the way we should put our resources to work? If ever there was a need for a European common foreign policy, this is it".