EU Presidency declaration on two suicide attacks in Israel – EU press release/Non-UN document

Brussels, 11 September 2003

12400/03 (Presse 261)

P 108/03

Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union

on the situation in the Middle East

The EU expresses its shock and dismay for the two suicide attacks that occurred on September 9 near the Tzrifin Israeli Defense force base and in Jerusalem, which, once again, caused numerous deaths among Israeli citizens. The EU extends its condolences to the families of the victims and solidarity to those injured and to the government of Israel.

The European Union wishes to reaffirm its strongest condemnation of these two terrorist attacks as well as the organisations that planned and executed them. The resurgence of terrorist attacks is claiming an intolerable toll of innocent Israeli citizens, it is obstructing the efforts of the international community to restore peace in the region and it is damaging the interests of the cause of the Palestinian people.

The European Union thus considers the authors of these acts as enemies of peace and strongly urges the Palestinian Authority to take all necessary concrete measures against those terrorist organisations that are opposed to any political dialogue and undermine all the efforts to restore hope and to bring peace, security and better conditions of life to the region.

It is in this context and in the framework of the global fight against terrorism that the EU decided, on September 5 and 6 at the informal Ministerial meeting of Riva del Garda, to begin procedures leading to the insertion of the political branch of Hamas in the European list of terrorist organisations. The EU renews the Thessaloniki European Council appeal to all Palestinian organisations to declare an immediate and unconditional cease-fire.

Internet: http://ue.eu.int/ E-mail: press.office@consilium.eu.int