The British Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee published a report Sunday on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, expressing regret that the United Kingdom provided the Israel Defense Forces with equipment used during its Gaza offensive
earlier this year.
The committee also called
on the British government to launch talks with Hamas,
and urged the European Union to condition its ties with Israel
on the State's peace efforts.
Cast Lead
Authors Oz, Grossman sign petition calling for external probe of Gaza op / Tal Rabinovsky
Following publication of soldiers' testimonies according to which commanders in Gaza told them to shoot first and worry later, Rabbis for Human Rights calls on Netanyahu, Barak to order non-military probe of IDF offensive
Committee Chairman Michael Gapes said Sunday that while his country's policy of refusing all contact with Hamas may eventually bear fruit, the British government should consider talking to moderate Hamas officials, as it had previously done with Hezbollah.
The report also condemns Israel for the expansion of West Bank settlements and the siege on Gaza, and demands that the British government announce its opinion on whether war crimes were committed during Israel's Operation Cast Lead in Gaza.
The committee also slams Hamas' "intolerable" fire towards civilian targets in Israel. However the committee's members express the opinion that Israel's reaction was "disproportionate".
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