The EU and Israel have put negotiations on upgrading bilateral ties on hold due to the Gaza war, officials from both sides said Wednesday as the German foreign minister travels to the region to help end the fighting. "There is a time-out in the furthering of the upgrading of bilateral relations," Ramiro Cibrian-Uzal, the head of the European Commission delegation to Israel told reporters. "Both sides decided it was appropriate to take a time out. Both sides realize it is a convenient time for a time-out." "We will have to see how long and how deep the time-out is -- how the conflict stabilizes and how Israel will emerge as a partner for the EU out of the conflict," he added. Bilateral relations have been strained by Israel's 19-day-old military offensive on Hamas targets in Gaza which medics report has so far killed more than 1,000 Palestinians. Ten Israeli soldiers and three civilians hit by Hamas rockets fired across the border have also died since Dec. 27.
"There is a time-out in the furthering of the upgrading of bilateral relations," Ramiro Cibrian-Uzal, the head of the European Commission delegation to Israel told reporters. "Both sides decided it was appropriate to take a time out. Both sides realize it is a convenient time for a time-out."
"We will have to see how long and how deep the time-out is -- how the conflict stabilizes and how Israel will emerge as a partner for the EU out of the conflict," he added.
Bilateral relations have been strained by Israel's 19-day-old military offensive on Hamas targets in Gaza which medics report has so far killed more than 1,000 Palestinians. Ten Israeli soldiers and three civilians hit by Hamas rockets fired across the border have also died since Dec. 27.
LA PAZ, Bolivia (CNN) -- Bolivia broke diplomatic relations with Israel on Wednesday over the Israeli incursion into Gaza, President Evo Morales announced. Bolivian President Evo Morales announces Wednesday that he is severing diplomatic ties with Israel. Morales also said his government will ask that Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert be declared war criminals. "The Israeli government's crimes affect global stability and peace and have returned the world to the worst stage of crimes against humanity that we hadn't seen except in World War II and in the last years in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda," Morales said. There was no immediate reaction from the Israeli government. Bolivia is the second Latin American government to take action against Israel in response to the military operation that started December 27. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expelled the Israeli ambassador from Caracas on January 6. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 5,000 wounded in the Gaza operation, Palestinian officials said Wednesday.
LA PAZ, Bolivia (CNN) -- Bolivia broke diplomatic relations with Israel on Wednesday over the Israeli incursion into Gaza, President Evo Morales announced.
Bolivian President Evo Morales announces Wednesday that he is severing diplomatic ties with Israel.
Morales also said his government will ask that Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert be declared war criminals.
"The Israeli government's crimes affect global stability and peace and have returned the world to the worst stage of crimes against humanity that we hadn't seen except in World War II and in the last years in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda," Morales said.
There was no immediate reaction from the Israeli government.
Bolivia is the second Latin American government to take action against Israel in response to the military operation that started December 27.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez expelled the Israeli ambassador from Caracas on January 6.
More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed and nearly 5,000 wounded in the Gaza operation, Palestinian officials said Wednesday.
Washington - The US military has to had to cancel a planned shipment of munitions from a Greek port to a US warehouse in Israel due to objections from Athens, a Pentagon spokesperson said on Tuesday. "I think the Greek government had some issue with the offloading of some of that shipment in their country and so we are finding alternative means of getting that entire shipment to its proper destination in Israel," Geoff Morrell told a news conference. "I don't think we've come to a final resolution on how or when that will take place."
Washington - The US military has to had to cancel a planned shipment of munitions from a Greek port to a US warehouse in Israel due to objections from Athens, a Pentagon spokesperson said on Tuesday.
"I think the Greek government had some issue with the offloading of some of that shipment in their country and so we are finding alternative means of getting that entire shipment to its proper destination in Israel," Geoff Morrell told a news conference.
"I don't think we've come to a final resolution on how or when that will take place."
I'll paste in one because it is short - to the point - links to the Bolivia story below - and the list of signatories contains many many notable personalities, MPs (TDs in Ireland) of a number of opposition parties AND a number of Government MPs. That's before you get to the most famous folk singer in the country stuck on the end.
Madam, - We, the undersigned, are united in seeking the immediate expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Ireland, Dr Zion Evrony. We believe the ambassador must leave Ireland until such time as there is a complete end to Israel's war on Gaza and its continued slaughter of the Palestinian people. - Your, etc, MAIREAD MAGUIRE, Nobel Peace Laureate; KATHY SINNOTT MEP; MARGARET CONLON TD; MAGGIE RONAYNE, NUIG; GERRY GREHAN, Chairman, Peace People; RAYMOND DEANE, BRENDAN BUTLER, NGO Peace Alliance; ROBERT BALLAGH, JACK O'CONNOR, general president, Siptu; Dr FINTAN LANE, RICHARD BOYD BARRETT, IAWM; KIERAN ALLEN, SWP; Dr STEVEN LOYAL, UCD; M.J. NOLAN TD; Dr THERESA URBAIN CZYK; UCD; JOE HIGGINS, SP; MARGARETTA D'ARCY; BRIAN O'CONNOR, Labour Youth; Prof MARY GALLAGHER, UCD; JOHN WADDELL, CHRIS ANDREWS TD; SHANE CULLEN; Dr SABER ELSAFTY, AILBHE SMYTH, UCD; TREASA NÍ CHEANNABHÉIN; PATRICIA McKENNA MEP; JOHN ARDEN; CHARLIE CULLEN, Senator IVANA BACIK; COLIN COULTER, NUIM; MICHAEL KILEMADE, TERENCE BROWNE, Dr FERGAL GAYNOR, UCC; NINA McGOWAN; TIM REDFERN, UCD; MAIRÉAD NI CHUIG, TG4; EAMON McCANN; MHAIRI SUTHERLAND; MICHAEL MOYNIHAN TD; BRIAN HAND; SEAMUS KEALY; Dr ANDY STOREY, UCD; PAUL MURNAGHAN; KATHARINA PFUETZNER, NCAD; ANNA MacLEOD, DIT; CHRISTY MOORE
MAIREAD MAGUIRE, Nobel Peace Laureate; KATHY SINNOTT MEP; MARGARET CONLON TD; MAGGIE RONAYNE, NUIG; GERRY GREHAN, Chairman, Peace People; RAYMOND DEANE, BRENDAN BUTLER, NGO Peace Alliance; ROBERT BALLAGH, JACK O'CONNOR, general president, Siptu; Dr FINTAN LANE, RICHARD BOYD BARRETT, IAWM; KIERAN ALLEN, SWP; Dr STEVEN LOYAL, UCD; M.J. NOLAN TD; Dr THERESA URBAIN CZYK; UCD; JOE HIGGINS, SP; MARGARETTA D'ARCY; BRIAN O'CONNOR, Labour Youth; Prof MARY GALLAGHER, UCD; JOHN WADDELL, CHRIS ANDREWS TD; SHANE CULLEN; Dr SABER ELSAFTY, AILBHE SMYTH, UCD; TREASA NÍ CHEANNABHÉIN; PATRICIA McKENNA MEP; JOHN ARDEN; CHARLIE CULLEN, Senator IVANA BACIK; COLIN COULTER, NUIM; MICHAEL KILEMADE, TERENCE BROWNE, Dr FERGAL GAYNOR, UCC; NINA McGOWAN; TIM REDFERN, UCD; MAIRÉAD NI CHUIG, TG4; EAMON McCANN; MHAIRI SUTHERLAND; MICHAEL MOYNIHAN TD; BRIAN HAND; SEAMUS KEALY; Dr ANDY STOREY, UCD; PAUL MURNAGHAN; KATHARINA PFUETZNER, NCAD; ANNA MacLEOD, DIT; CHRISTY MOORE
