Bairbre de Brún (GUE/NGL). – (GA) Mr President, I have listened carefully to Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner , but I do not think that it is good enough to speak of facilitation or encouragement when the Israeli Government is pursuing the kind of policy that we have seen on the border between Gaza and Egypt.

The European institutions have to act; they have to take a stand against the Israeli Government and say loud and clear that they are opposed to the inhuman blockade that is choking the life out of the Gaza Strip.

This policy is utterly cruel and inimical to the entire population under Israeli occupation. Action of this sort cannot be justified in the 21st century. And it is preposterous for Israel to claim to be merely defending itself when ordinary Palestinians are seeking a life free of the suffering being inflicted on them.

We have to act instead of spending days, weeks, and months on end doing nothing but talking.