Abbas calls for Gaza justice

THE killing of innocent civilians and the destruction of their homes and livelihoods was a crime for which those responsible must be held accountable, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbass said in the European Parliament.

At the same time, the Palestinian people did not want to continue being enemies of Israel and were holding out a hand of friendship while 57 Arab nations promised to normalise relations with Israel when Israel withdraws from the Palestinian lands.

Mr Abbas got a standing ovation from MEPs after spelling out the horrors of the latest war that included the deaths of 1,400 people, 5,000 injured and 90,000 homeless.

“You’ve heard the cries of the men, women and children who lost most of their family members… along with the innocent victims fell the values of the human conscience,” he said.

The economy in the West Bank was also suffering as a result of Israeli settlements that had increased 17-fold in the last year and the increased roadblocks, checkpoints and barriers besieging the cities, villages, towns and refugee camps, he said.

The EU presidency, held by the Czechs at present, wrote to Israel earlier this week saying that despite their assurances of access for humanitarian aid and aid workers to Gaza, there were still heavy restrictions.