A proposal for the European Union to start a direct dialogue with Israel to allow the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza was submitted to the Foreign Affairs Council by Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos.

“Israel must immediately allow the flow of aid without imposing restrictions. That was and is our position. With this clear approach, we also took a position in the recent FAC,” the minister said in an interview with Phileleftheros on Sunday.

He said that to date, 22,000 tons of humanitarian aid have been sent to the Gaza Strip via the island through the Amalthea plan.

Regarding the debate at the FAC on the revision of the terms of the EU-Israel Association Council, the minister said this is the exclusive competence of the EU High Representative, Kaya Kalas.

“We did not decide and we did not vote for anything. The concern of the Republic of Cyprus, in the context of an open discussion, was that the choice of this course would have no effect. Especially at this time when it is urgent to deal with the critical situation”.

He added that the stated purpose of the revision of the clause, as leverage to exert pressure on Israel, will not succeed, because the revision process is “open” in terms of time and any finding. “I do not think will be adopted by the Council”.

Instead, he said he had proposed to the FAC that the EU, through its institutional representation, immediately initiate a direct dialogue with Israel to allow the flow of humanitarian aid.

This would be “an act with a more serious possibility of effectiveness than a move in the long term and with a limited probability of success,” he said.

“International law and its humanitarian part guide us and govern our every action. That is why we moved immediately into the humanitarian field. We support the existence of the State of Palestine and the position of the two states in all forums. The necessity of an immediate ceasefire, the unhindered flow of aid as well. In addition, we support the release of hostages, the return of the bodies of the victims to their families and the removal of Hamas from the political future in Gaza,” he said.

Asked about the lifting of sanctions on Syria by the EU, Kombos said that as long as the Syrian leadership is positive, Cyprus will stand by the Syrian people, with openings at the bilateral level and in the EU.