EU threatens Palestinian aid

The EU may cut funding for Palestine if attacks on EU buildings and kidnappings do not stop.

Violence flared in the Palestinian territories on Tuesday after the Israeli army raided a Palestinian jail in Jericho killing two people.

The military assault triggered widespread kidnapping of foreigners in the occupied territories.

"If this were to go on, of course, there would be a breakdown of our help and the first that would suffer would be the Palestinians themselves," Benita Ferrero-Waldner - EU external relations commissioner told reporters.

"We of course deplore very strongly the attack against our EU mission and also of the member states' missions...We also condemn the kidnapping that has taken place," Ferrero-Waldner insisted after meeting Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in Strasbourg.

Abbas was later forced to abandon his European trip - and a speech in the European parliament.

The Palestinian was in Strasbourg for high level meetings with EU officials to secure aid for the Palestine Authority.

He was also looking to ease European fears after a Hamas victory in recent elections.

But images of armed groups storming European outposts will do little to calm nerves in the west.

European parliament president Josep Borrell said MEPs would understand why Abbas had to cut short his visit to Strasbourg.
 
“It is sad and regrettably symbolic that violence is undermining our attempt to support those Palestinians in favour of a negotiated peace in the Middle East.”
 
“We strongly condemn the attack on the prison in Jericho by Israeli forces as well as the resulting kidnappings and acts of violence in the Palestinian territories today,” he said on Wednesday.

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