President of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering, has briefed the Conference of Presidents (political group chairs) of his contacts in connection with the situation in the Middle East and called for an immediate end to the violence, from which the civilian population is suffering most.
President Pöttering held talks with Israeli President, Shimon Peres, Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Salam Fayad, and the EU’s High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, and with Knesset President, Dalia Itzik.
A few days ago the Parliament President, who is also President of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA), had contacts with the Vice-Presidents of the Assembly
