London, July 7, IRNA — A British Euro-MP Wednesday described as “deceitful” Israeli claims that it is lifting a 4-year blockade of Gaza that has impoverished 1.5 million Palestinians.
Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies said he was calling on British Foreign Secretary William Hague to join with his French, Italian and Spanish counterparts, who will be visiting Gaza later this month, to assess the situation for themselves.
In a letter to Hague, he said that he met John Ging, UNRWA’s director of operations in Gaza, in Strasbourg on Tuesday, who “confirmed the view that I have no doubt we share that Israel’s blockade of the territory is profoundly counterproductive.”
“Ging emphasised that although Israel is now allowing all foodstuffs through its checkpoints it is not allowing anything for construction, commerce and industry,” his letter said, according to a copy obtained by IRNA.
“So long as Israel continues to choke off all economic activity in Gaza the Palestinians are denied hope for the future and the extremists will continue to gain ground,” it warned.
Davies, who is MEP for England North West, was the only British politician to gain access to Gaza during Israel’s massacre of more than 1,400 Palestinians last year.
At the height of the killing, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who is now deputy prime minister, called on the British government to halt all arms exports to Israel and for the European Union to use its economic and diplomatic leverage in the region to broker peace.
The Foreign Ministers of France, Spain and Italy have all announced that they will visit Gaza later this month to assess for themselves the degree to which Israel has lifted its blockade.
Davies said that he hoped the visit will lead to a “more active engagement by the European Council and more forceful insistence that Israel complies with the demands it has made that are intended to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of Palestinians, promote a two-state solution, and safeguard the security requirements of Israel.”
“I cannot recall an occasion when a more influential group of European politicians will have made such a gesture, yet the significance of the delegation would be greatly strengthened by your presence,” he told Hague.