Poettering takes Netanyahu’s peace pulse

24/02/09 19:22 CET

europa

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Israel needs a “new approach to peace”, the president of the European Parliament has told Israeli Prime Minister Designate Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hans-Gert Poettering first visited the Gaza Strip to see the effects of Israel’s recent offensive there, Poettering then travelled to Jerusalem. He said: “We hope there is – when there is a new government – a new approach to peace and we in the European Union and the European Parliament are in favour of a two-state solution, that means Israel in safe borders and Palestine in safe borders and I think we have to make a new approach for peace.” Israeli President Shimon Peres told Poettering that European sympathy for Hamas, which controls Gaza, hurt peace efforts. Hamas is on the EU’s list of banned terrorist organisations, and Poettering said: “We have to help the people of Gaza by opening the borders, while preventing Hamas from arming again.”More about: European Union, Israel

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