The foreign ministers of 10 European states said Israel should make more concessions for peace.
In an open letter published in the French daily Le Monde, the foreign ministers said the U.S.-backed road map peace plan has failed and that it s time to convene a new Israeli-Palestinian peace summit. The letter was addressed to Tony Blair, the newly appointed special envoy to the Middle East of the Quartet the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations.
The ministers from Bulgaria, Cyprus, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Malta, Romania and Slovenia called on Blair to tell Israel to make more concessions to support Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Among their objectives the ministers specified the transfer of all taxes due, the release of the thousands of prisoners who do not have blood on their hands, the release as well of the main Palestinian leaders to ensure succession within Fatah, a freeze in new settlements and the evacuation of unauthorized settlements.
The call to release main Palestinian leaders likely refers to jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, who was convicted several years ago by an Israeli court on five counts of murder. Barghouti is believed to be responsible for masterminding dozens of terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians.
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