Brussels, MINA – Sixty members of the European Parliament have urged EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to convene an emergency meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers to discuss imposing sanctions on the Israeli government over its actions in the occupied West Bank.
The appeal was made in a letter sent to Kallas on Monday evening and signed by lawmakers from several political groups within the European Parliament.
The lawmakers accused Israel of imposing a blockade on the occupied West Bank since Friday, describing the measures as collective punishment.
“By resorting to collective punishment, which constitutes a war crime under international law, the Israeli government seeks to consolidate its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory and further escalate tensions during Israel’s elections,” the letter stated.
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The lawmakers also raised concerns over the demolition of Palestinian homes in Hebron, where some families were reportedly given no more than five minutes to evacuate before their homes were demolished.
They described the developments as a critical turning point for the future of the West Bank and the prospects for establishing a Palestinian state, stressing that the European Union could not remain silent in the face of what they characterized as a large-scale Israeli assault on the territory.
The lawmakers called on the EU to condemn the measures, demand the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the West Bank and hold an urgent meeting of foreign ministers to seek agreement on sanctions against the Israeli government.
Israeli forces have maintained a blockade in the Hebron governorate for five consecutive days, particularly in the al-Jalda and Deir Bahha areas of the city, according to the report.
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The number of affected families has risen to 619, while approximately 3,971 Palestinians have reportedly been forcibly displaced from their homes and 85 others arrested.
The appeal comes amid mounting concerns over Israeli military operations and displacement in the occupied West Bank. However, reaching a unified EU position on sanctions has remained difficult because of differences among member states over how to respond to Israeli policies.
The lawmakers’ initiative seeks to push the bloc toward concrete measures beyond expressions of concern, including possible sanctions against the Israeli government.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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