Brussels, 22nd July, 2014

’As international media reports daily on casualties in Gaza, it too has an obligation to point out these obvious war crimes by Hamas, instead of placing the blame solely on Israel’, Tomas Sandell said. ECI notes that a growing number of world leaders have reiterated their support for Israel’s right to defend herself against Hamas rocket attacks, while at the same time calling for a ceasefire.

’It is important that these same world leaders clearly condemn Hamas’ use of human shields in order to put the record straight as to why there is such a high number of civil casualties in the Israeli ground operation in Gaza’, Sandell said.

Innocent lives must be spared at all costs and the world can no longer remain silent while Hamas prevents its civilian population from evacuating from targeted neighbourhoods. This clearly violates article 51(7) of the Additional Protocol of the Geneva Convention.

ECI also raises its serious concerns over the growing radicalisation of anti-Israeli demonstrations across Europe, where Jewish targets are being singled out and attacked.
Violent attacks on Jewish properties and synagogues cannot be tolerated in Europe in 2014. We commend the French Government for taking a clear stand against the recent violent attacks on two Synagogues in the Paris suburb of Sarcelles where three Jewish shops were also burned and pillaged. ECI calls upon the Foreign Ministers of the European Union immediately to raise this urgent issue at their top level meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.

In Paris last weekend, Prime Minister Manuel Valls warned that France faces a new form of antisemitism, fomented by the hard left and by political activists like the comedian Dieudonné, who blame the ”Jews” for all the world´s ills.

French Interior Minister, Bernard Cazeneuve said  ”When you menace synagogues and when you burn a grocery because it is Jewish-owned, you are committing anti-semitic acts. Nothing can justify such violence.”

’A Europe where Jews can no longer feel safe and secure is a failure of the European vision ofAdenauer, Monet and Schuman’, Sandell concluded. ’We therefore urge the leaders of the European Union to take immediate action.’

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New York, 9th July, 2014

In a statement issued in New York on Wednesday, ECI Director Tomas Sandell “strongly condemned the continuing rocket fire into Israel and the deliberate targeting of civilians by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

”No country can accept rocket fire aimed at civilians, and we support Israel’s right to defend herself against these vicious attacks,” he said.
He expressed his condolences to the families of all innocent victims, on both sides, reiterating that every effort should be made to protect civilians.

He called upon the international community unreservedly to condemn the use of human shields by Hamas militants who choose to purposely hide behind Palestinian civilians. It is therefore Hamas who bear the responsibility when civilians are hit inadvertently.

On Tuesday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon “condemned the multiple rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza” and said that “these indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas must stop.”

Meanwhile in Brussels, EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton echoed the demand by Ban Ki-moon by condemning “the indiscriminate fire into Israel by militant groups in the Gaza Strip.”

EU’s Ambassador to Israel, Lars Faaborg-Andersen, visited Southern Israel on Tuesday where he expressed “unreserved solidarity” with the embattled Israeli civilians living under constant rocket fire.

“Indiscriminate shooting of rockets against innocent civilians can never be a legitimate response,” said Faaborg-Andersen.

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On March 22nd, ECI held two events in the European Parliament: a Symposium on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories with Human Rights Lawyer Calev Myers presenting an official report from the Jerusalem Institute of Justice and a two-day ECI Young Leaders Consultation.

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