EU can check ships heading toward Gaza

PanARMENIAN.Net - France and Great Britain stated that the European Union is willing to check cargo on board ships heading to the Gaza Strip that would allow delivering humanitarian aid to the region and preventing weapon contraband at the same time.

"We can check the cargo of ships heading toward Gaza — we can do it, we want to do it, we would gladly do it," France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said after a meeting with British Foreign Secretary William Hague in Paris.

Kouchner noted that the EU has had monitors deployed at Gaza's border crossing with Egypt at Rafah, and could do so again.

The two men urged Israel to accept an international inquiry commission into the deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. However, Israel continuously rejects the idea of such an inquiry.

Besides, Iran has warned that it could send Revolutionary Guard naval units to escort humanitarian aid convoys seeking to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza – a move that would certainly be challenged by Israel, reported the Guardian.