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'Broader conflict' must be averted in Israeli-Palestinian violence: EU
"The EU is dismayed at the large numbers of civilian deaths and injuries, including children," he said in a statement. "All efforts should be directed at avoiding civilian casualties, and supporting de-escalation."
Israelis and Palestinians must immediately halt their violence "to prevent a broader conflict" impacting civilian populations, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned on Wednesday.
"The EU is dismayed at the large numbers of civilian deaths and injuries, including children," he said in a statement. "All efforts should be directed at avoiding civilian casualties, and supporting de-escalation."
The statement came as Israelis and Palestinians traded missile and rocket fire in a military escalation after weekend clashes in and around the shared holy Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem.
"The grave escalation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including the major upsurge in violence in and around Gaza, must stop," Borrell said.
While saying the "indiscriminate launching of rockets from Hamas and other groups towards Israeli civilians is unacceptable" and affirming Israeli's "legitimate need to protect its civilian population," Borrell stressed that the response "needs to be proportionate".
"The EU calls for an immediate end to the ongoing violence. Everything must be done to prevent a broader conflict, which will, first and foremost, affect the civilian populations on both sides," he said.
