Palestinian Authority Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed Mustafa spoke of a “concrete, albeit slim, chance” to move from “war to a just and lasting peace.” Mustafa stressed that once the war ends, the Gaza Strip must remain an “integral part of the State of Palestine” and that government power must ultimately be handed over to the Palestinian Authority.
The EU is the Palestinians’ largest financial supporter and believes that the Palestinian Authority should play an important role in the future of the Gaza Strip. However, the authority only plays a peripheral role in US President Donald Trump’s controversial “Peace Council” and his plans for the Gaza Strip.
A ceasefire between Israel and the radical Islamic Hamas has been in effect in the Gaza Strip since October, largely brokered by the USA. In January, Washington said the ceasefire had entered its second phase under a peace plan put forward by Trump. This envisages the disarmament of Hamas and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territory.
Kallas said that in order to achieve a two-state solution, “both sides must deliver”: Israel must stop the construction of settlements in the West Bank, prosecute crimes committed by settlers and pay the withheld tax revenues to the Palestinian authorities; the Palestinian Authority must make progress with its reforms.
With regard to the Gaza Strip, the EU foreign policy chief called Hamas’s refusal to hand over its weapons “a major obstacle” on the road to peace. The Palestinian police and an international stabilization force must be sent to the Gaza Strip “as quickly as possible” “to prevent Hamas from further consolidating power,” Kallas said.
Meanwhile, in light of the Israeli attacks in Lebanon and the situation in the West Bank, the debate about how to deal with Israel has reignited among the 27 EU countries. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchéz said his country would once again put the withdrawal of the EU association agreement with Israel on the table at the meeting of EU foreign ministers on Tuesday. However, it is unlikely that member states will decide to do so, as many EU countries are against such a move, including Germany.
