BRUSSELS (EJP)---The European Union has condemned on Sunday what it
called the “disproportionate use of force" by Israel in the Gaza
Strip as the EU’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana is arriving in
the region.

In a statement, the EU’s Slovenian presidency said: "The presidency
condemns the recent disproportionate use of force by the Israeli
Defense Forces (IDF) against Palestinian population in Gaza and urges
Israel to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from all activities
that endanger civilians."

It added: "Such activities are contrary to international law. The
Presidency at the same time reiterates condemnation of continued
firing of rockets into Israeli territory and calls for its immediate
end."

The statement was issued after intense fighting in the Gaza Strip
over the weekend in which fifty-four Palestinians and two Israeli
soldiers were killed.

Senior Israeli political and military leaders have been mulling a
major ground operation in the Gaza Strip for months, as Hamas
militants launched daily rocket and mortar attacks on southern Israel.

The EU presidency said "it rejects collective punishment of the
people of Gaza."

"We are deeply worried about the suffering of the civilian population
on Israeli and Palestinian side. We have stated too many times that
both Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in peace and
security,” the statement said.

The Eu stressed that the peace process should not be interrupted.

"Actions that undermine this process should be stopped immediately.
Cessation of violence is one of the key elements in achieving the
commitments made in Annapolis. The Presidency urges all sides to
advance on the path to a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-
Palestinian Conflict as set out in Annapolis."

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni spoke Saturday  with Slovenian
Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, whose country holds the rotating EU
presidency, and said Israel was acting to protect its citizens.

Solana's Mideast trip

Javier Solana, the European Union foreign policy chief, has started
on Sunday a 3-day visit to Israel, the Palestinian territories and
Lebanon.

In Israel, Solana will meet on Monday with Israeli President Shimon
Peres, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and
Defence Minister Ehud Barak.

On Tuesday, the EU official will travel to the Palestinian
territories for meetings with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas,
Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Ahmed Ali Mohammed Qurei, chairman of
the Palestinian negotiating team, and Saeb Erekat, head of the
negotiations affairs department.

According to his cabinet, Solana will stress the importance of
keeping the Annapolis peace process on track and underline the EU's
commitment to this process and its support for the parties.

He will also stress the EU's readiness to help bring about and
implement a solution to the situation in Gaza.