Tokia Saïfi (PPE-DE). – (FR) Mr President, once again, weapons are doing the talking in the Middle East. Once again, the main victims are women and children, of whom thousands have been wounded and hundreds killed. Once again, history is repeating itself, in all its horror, on Europe’s doorstep. However, we note that, in spite of its initiatives, Europe is not making an effective contribution in this major conflict, even though it is taking place in its immediate area of influence. An overwhelming majority of the public are finding this difficult to understand, and they are increasingly refusing to accept such powerlessness.

Commissioner, we must vigorously and authoritatively take up the leadership in order to bring about peace. The Union for the Mediterranean must play a major role, as must the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly. In line with this, the European Parliament must support the Franco-Egyptian peace plan in favour of an immediate ceasefire, the securing of the borders between Israel and the Gaza Strip, the re-opening of the crossing points and, above all, the lifting of the blockade of Gaza.

We must also call for the immediate application of the UN resolution. Once this first stage is over, we must go further by proposing the implementation of a military force, not a multinational one but a Euro-Mediterranean one. This gesture would be the founding act of a confirmed political will to achieve a ‘European peace’, something for which all the peoples of the Mediterranean have been waiting for so long.

I should also like today to draw your attention to a new situation. With the Middle East conflict, we are little by little entering very dangerous territory, that of the clash of civilisations. Indeed, ever since the start of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there has always been a groundswell of Arab public opinion. Today, it is Muslim public opinion, which extends far beyond the geography of the Arab states. This suggests a radical change in the nature of the conflict. Europe has an historic responsibility, that of urgently strengthening the dialogue between civilisations.