madam president words are tools words are instruments and words can be weapons in foreign policy
therefore they should be used sparingly and prudently but there are occasions when they must be used decisively
i would like to say to the high representative that i sorely missed her voice during the very first few days of the horrors perpetrated by the syrian authorities
i believe that the courageous citizens who were and still are demonstrating in syria at great personal risk have missed your voice even more
there are rare occasions when one needs to speak up immediately
this was one of them
let me now turn to the middle east
i believe that withholding of taxes collected in palestine by the israeli government is an ill-inspired action and what is more it is inconsistent first to demand that the authorities of the west bank and gaza should find an arrangement an agreement and when the agreement comes to take this decision then
moreover this decision is extremely cynical as it is very likely that the european union will have to make up for the financial shortfall in any case
so i support all my colleagues who have called and i call myself for a new impetus to a peaceful solution of the israel-palestinian conflict which of course must be based on the two-state solution
