The European Union’s parliament urged Israel to open its borders with the Gaza Strip.
“The policy of isolation of the Gaza Strip has failed at both the political and humanitarian level,” said the nonbinding resolution adopted Thursday by the body based in Strasbourg, France. “The civilian population should be exempt from any military action and any collective punishment.”
Israel has blockaded Gaza in a bid to end rocket fire on israel’s south that is being enabled by Hamas, the terrorist group that refuses to recognize Israel and that controls the strip. The parliament’s resolution also called on Israel to end assassinations of Hamas leaders and on Hamas to end the rocket fire.
Hamas welcomed the call as signaling a change of attitude to the organization in Europe, where it is banned as a designated terrorist group. Israel rejected the call.
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