EU keeps up push for truce, says Israel's image destroyed (Extra)

Jan 6, 2009, 10:34 GMT

Jerusalem - The European Union kept up its push for an immediate truce in Gaza, with its troika of current, previous and upcoming presidencies meeting Israeli leaders in Jerusalem and warning Israel's offensive was 'destroying' its image in the world.

'We have come to Israel in order to advance the initiative for a humanitarian ceasefire and I will tell you, Mr President, that you have a serious problem with international advocacy, and that Israel's image is being destroyed,' EU Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner told Israeli President Shimon Peres, a statement from his office said.

She said the humanitarian truce was vital because international humanitarian organizations were having 'serious problems' distributing food aid parcels in Gaza amid the ongoing fighting. Israel has rejected the proposal, saying it cannot afford to and will not let up its pressure on Hamas.

Ferrero-Waldner, who along with Czech Foreign Minister Karl Schwarzenberg and Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt also met with Israeli caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Olmert later in the morning, said Israel had a right to defend itself against near daily rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza over the past seven years, but called its actions in the strip 'disproportionate.'

Peres replied that Israel was 'not in the business of public relations or improving its image,' but of fighting militants backed by Iran.

'Europe needs to open its eyes with respect to the fighting in Gaza. None of the European countries would tolerate rocket fire on their citizens,' he said.

A spokeswoman for UNWRA, the United Nations agency caring for Palestinian refugees, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur