European Union Urges Israel Not to Use Excessive Force against Civilians

United Nations, July 25: The European Union (EU) on Tuesday urged Israel to refrain from excessive use of force against unarmed civilians while calling on all relevant parties to exercise restraint. Addressing the UN Security Council open debate on “The situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question”, Joanne Adamson, charge d’affaires of the EU delegation to the UN, said that the use of force “must be proportional at all times”. “Israel should reverse its punitive measures and work with the international community to ease conditions in Gaza. The situation there has been like a pressure cooker for some time and is on the verge of explosion,” Xinhua quoted Adamson as saying. In order to prevent further escalation of violence, the EU strongly urges all relevant parties “to respect international law, de-escalate tensions, exercise restraint, and prevent incidents that could jeopardize the lives of Palestinians and Israelis,” she added. (IANS)