Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday evening, Labour MEP Proinsias De Rossa said: “The reply received recently by EP President Buzek from Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, justifying his refusal to allow this Parliament's Official Delegation to enter Gaza last December, requires a robust response.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu is free to object to our meeting with Palestinians in Gaza and in East Jerusalem, but he has no right to prevent such meetings taking place. Neither he nor his government has any right to interfere with this parliament's democratic right to meet whomsoever it chooses.

“Our High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Ms Cathy Ashton must vigorously pursue her intention to visit Gaza. She must insist that Israel comply with international law and end the siege of Gaza, which the Goldstone Report has found to be tantamount to (illegal) collective punishment of the 1.5m population.

“Europe can no longer tolerate the humanitarian and environmental catastrophe unfolding before our eyes in Gaza.

“While we have in recent days received positive news about 'proximity' talks starting soon between Israeli and Palestinian representatives, at the same time tensions are escalating around religious sites in East Jerusalem and Hebron. These confrontations could very easily tip over into full scale violence which would devastate any hope of progress for a very long time.

“It is in all our interests that Ms Ashton, as our foreign affairs representative act as a matter of urgency to identify ways in which Europe can intervene to de-escalate those tensions.”