The aggression on Gaza .. The European Union considers the priority for the cease-fire and the Security Council holds a fourth session

The European Union’s foreign policy official, Josep Borrell, said that the priority now is for a ceasefire between the Palestinians and Israel, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and the UN Security Council is expected to hold a fourth session tonight to discuss the Israeli war on Gaza.

Borrell’s statement came during a press conference held in Brussels this evening, after an emergency telephone meeting with the foreign ministers of member states, which focused on discussing the current crisis in the Middle East. Read also Calls for an expeditious end to the war in Gaza given the international sympathy for the population The war on Gaza .. The Biden administration’s moves between secrecy and overt United Nations: Israeli raids displaced more than 52 thousand Palestinians in Gaza

During the conference, Borrell said, “We support Israel in exercising its right to defend itself, and we also support providing security for the Palestinians.”

He pointed out that all members of the European Union except for one country (which he did not name) agreed that the priority would be an immediate ceasefire.

Regarding the problem of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem, which the Israeli occupation seeks to evacuate of its residents, Borrell said that the Israeli authorities must stop evacuating the neighborhood.

He added that achieving security for Israelis and Palestinians needs a political solution, noting that after the ceasefire, which is expected to take place within a day or two, the two sides must engage in negotiations to achieve peace.

Earlier today, the Foreign Minister of Malta, Evarist Bartolo said that the European Union foreign ministers will call for a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians, and offer more humanitarian aid, and there will be an attempt to launch peace talks.

He added that after the ceasefire, the European Union would work “with the United States, with Russia, to try to deal with the situation.”

The European Union is a member of the International Quartet to mediate in the Middle East with Russia, the United Nations and the United States.

Germany also called earlier for a ceasefire, and pledged to provide humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, worth 40 million euros (48.86 million dollars).

Security Council

At the United Nations headquarters, the representative of Palestine there, Riyad Mansour, said – during a press conference – that it is shameful that the Security Council did not even declare a position calling for an end to the aggression, stressing that there is an urgent need for an immediate ceasefire and the entry of aid to the residents of the Gaza Strip.

He added that the crimes committed against the Palestinians require the intervention of the international community to stop them, pointing out that the Palestinians cannot continue to live under the apartheid regime, which Israel applies against them.

Ahead of the fourth session of the Security Council scheduled today, after Washington prevented the issuance of a statement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in 3 previous sessions, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on the Security Council to take a “unified position” to stop the fighting.

This was stated by Stefan Dujarric, spokesman for the Secretary-General, during a press conference at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Dujarric was responding to journalists ‘questions about Guterres’ position on holding the council, on Tuesday, a fourth session on the situation between Israel and the Palestinians, and the possibility of not being able to issue a statement again in this regard.

During three Security Council sessions, the most recent of which was Monday, the United States, an ally of Israel, prevented a consensus on issuing a statement calling for an immediate cessation of the fighting.

The release of council statements requires the unanimous approval of all of its 15 member states.

On Monday, the Norwegian mission to the Council said, “Tunisia, China and Norway will once again raise the Middle East crisis on the agenda of the Security Council on Tuesday.”

She pointed out that “the situation continues to deteriorate, and innocent civilians continue to be killed and wounded,” adding, “We repeat, stop the fire, stop hostilities now.”

The draft statement – which was obstructed by Washington on Monday – called for the situation to calm down, stop violence, and respect international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians, especially children.

The draft expressed acute concern about tensions and violence in East Jerusalem, especially in and around the holy sites.