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EU urges Israeli restraint

Updated: 26/Sep/2005 18:00

The last Israeli tanks exit the Gaza Strip through the Kissufim crossing, which led to the now-evacuated Gush Katif bloc settlements on 12 September 2005

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The European Union has expressed its “concern” at the increasing tension and violence in the Gaza Strip and surrounding areas, and urged Israel to hold back as much as possible from retaliating.

On Friday night and Saturday Israel fired missiles at targets in Gaza, following a massive barrage of rockets fired at the town of Sderot just outside Gaza from within the Strip by Palestinian terrorists.

Sderot mayor Eli Moyal said this was the most concentrated number of rockets fired at his town ever.

In a statement released by the UK, the current president of the EU, the union urged both the Palestinian and Israeli leaders to show restraint.

The IDF is free to respond by any means necessary to reach the terrorists wherever they are

Ariel Sharon

The statement read: “The UK Presidency of the EU has been watching with concern the escalation of events in Gaza. The Presidency calls on the Palestinian Authority to take all necessary steps to take full control of security in the Gaza Strip.

“The Presidency recognises Israel’s right to act in self-defence, but calls on Israel to act with restraint.”

Violence returns

This was the first real escalation of attacks between Israel and Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip area since the Israeli disengagement began a month ago.

The violence began on Friday when a collection of rockets being paraded at a Hamas rally in Gaza City exploded, killing 19 people and injuring more than 140.

Hamas blamed Israel for the explosion, even though the Israelis denied responsibility and the Palestinian Authority agreed the blast was an accident perpetrated by Hamas.

The terrorist group then fired the rockets in to Israel as a retaliation to the explosion.

In his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday morning, Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon vowed that the Israeli army will continue to retaliate to any attacks.

“The IDF is free to respond by any means necessary to reach the terrorists wherever they are," he said.

According to Sharon, "This is not a one-time thing; we are preparing for a prolonged operation."