Italian Foreign Minister, Massimo D'Alema, stated on Wednesday that Italy would consider sending a peace keeping force to the Gaza Strip in order to stop the Palestinian internal clashes and to restore security if the Palestinian Authority requests help.D'Alema said that if the Palestinian Authority requests international help to end the internal clashes between Hamas and Fateh the EU would seriously consider sending a peacekeeping force.
He also called on the conflicting parties to exercise self restraint and called for political pressure on the clashing sides, including pressure from the Arab world, especially since the clashing parties are members of the same unity government.
Furthermore, D'Alema considered the internal clashes in Gaza as “civil war between brothers”, and called on the Palestinian people to stop this cycle of violence and restore calm in the area.
He also called on the Palestinian fighters to cease the firing of homemade shells into Israeli areas adjacent to the Gaza Strip, and also called for the release of the captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, and the release of the abducted BBC reporter Allen Johnston.
He added that Israel must transfer the Tax revenue to the Palestinian Authority. Since the victory of Hamas last year in the legislative elections, Israel froze millions of Dollars in Tax and custom revenue it collect on behalf of the P.A.
Italy is leading the UN peacekeeping force that was sent to Lebanon. D'Alema stated that this force managed to prove its effectiveness, and that a similar force could be sent to the Gaza strip.
The statements of D'Alema came after his meeting with Amr Mousa, secretary General of the Arab league.
In a joint press conference with D'Alema, Mousa slammed the ongoing clashes in the Gaza Strip, and stated that the World must not disregard the causes of these clashes, and said that unemployment are poverty are increasing in the Gaza Strip.
Regarding the conflict in the Middle East, D'Alema said that the Arab Peace Initiative is considered a chance for peace and that negotiations should be resumed.
