The European Union urges Israel to use lethal force "proportionately" and only when it is "unavoidable," and calls for de-escalation on both sides, EU foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano said on Thursday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2023) The European Union urges Israel to use lethal force "proportionately" and only when it is "unavoidable," and calls for de-escalation on both sides, EU foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano said on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, nine Palestinians were killed and 20 others injured as a result of an Israeli raid on the city of Jenin in the West Bank. Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh called the raid a "massacre," while President Mahmoud Abbas declared three days of mourning. The Israeli army, in turn, said it had neutralized three Palestinian militants in Jenin, suspected of preparing major terrorist attacks.
"While we note Israel's legitimate right, its legitimate security concerns, we reiterate our position that the use of force, the use of lethal force must be proportionate and in line with the international law and be applied as a last resort when it is strictly unavoidable and in order to protect life. So once again, we call on both parties to do their utmost to deescalate the situation and to end this vicious circle of violence," Stano told a regular briefing.
Relations between Israel and Palestine have been adversarial since the latter's founding in 1948. Palestinians seek diplomatic recognition of their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which is partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity, and builds settlements in the occupied areas despite objections from the United Nations.
