mr president we are debating yet another humanitarian tragedy in our neighbourhood next door to my country by two of our partners in the mediterranean
alas the palestinians have not yet accepted that suicide bombs or kassam rockets will never deliver liberation from the occupation of their land
israel does not realise that such an extensive military response nourishes new potential suicide bombers and invites new kassams at the first possible opportunity
what about the innocent civilians the non-combatants women and children
nobody cares about them
nobody cares about children killed mutilated burned and traumatised by the hundreds children of israel and of palestine
we from the comfort of our television sets feel nauseated watching them
how about those on the ground
what can we do
just entering into the classic blame game does not help the civilians
making calls and resolutions does not help the civilians
how can we pass from words to deeds
the time is right to negotiate with the interested parties the formation of an international force as was suggested by other colleagues to go into gaza with a large police component composed of arab countries to train and help a palestinian authority police force in a large un mandate to impose law and order as well as a military european force to ensure there is an end to rocket firing and weapon smuggling and that there is the full opening of the crossings
we can no longer leave the fate of the civilians in the hands of the opposing sides
