EU Organizes Diplomatic Mission To Middle East To Work For A Ceasefire

Brussels, Belgium (AHN) - A delegation from the European Union will arrive in Cairo Sunday and then move to Jerusalem to meet with Palestinian leaders in Ramallah to push for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Heading the EU delegation is Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, who assumes the union's presidency for the first six month of 2009. With the team are EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and the French and Swedish foreign ministers.

On Tuesday the group plans to meet with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas in Jordan. On Friday, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier talked over the phone with Saudi Arabia Prince Saud al-Faisal. They discussed plans by the Arab League to send a mission to the UN in New York to have the Security Council call for a ceasefire. Steinmeier also talked over the telephone with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Thursday.

The continued Israeli air raids against Hamas which has claimed over 400 lives led Palestine to observe a day of wrath in protest against the military action. According to the UN, at least 100 of the dead are civilians. In contrast, only four Israelis have so far been killed by Palestinian rockets since Saturday.

In the U.S., Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice pushed for a ceasefire, but one this is do-able and sustainable. She described to reporters the ceasefire as one "that would not allow a reestablishment of the status quo ante, where Hamas can continue to launch rockets out of Gaza."

The day of wrath was called following the death of major Hamas leader Nizar Rayan, who was killed along with his wives and children on Thursday by Israeli air raids.