Eve as the European Union’s executive pledged three million Euro in emergency aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip affected by Israel’s week-long bombardment as Israeli tanks pushed into the territory, some Members of the European Parliament blasted the body for refusing to discuss a resolution on the crisis. MEP Monica Frassoni of Italy, co-president of the Greens/EFA Group, said they were dismayed the parliament will keep a low profile on Gaza when it meets in Strasbourg, France this week. “We are deeply disappointed by the attitude of the majority of this Parliament … we strongly criticise our institution’s impassive reaction to the dramatic events in Gaza.” She said the parliament couldn’t even organise an emergency plenary session last week when the conflict was roiling and most every other politician in the world was speaking out.

She said the two largest groups in the parliament, the European People’s Party and the PES refused to include a resolution on the Gaza conflict. “Their justification for burying their heads in the sand is ridiculous. Conservatives and Socialists alike claim this issue be ‘too important’ and ‘delicate’ to make a resolution on it!” Meanwhile, the European Commission said the additional aid would be “deployed as rapidly as possible to meet the basic needs of people affected by the Israeli airstrikes and by continuing access restrictions.” The EU is already the largest aid donor to the Palestinian Territories, providing more than 73 million Euro in humanitarian assistance in 2008, according to official figures. While the bloc sees Israel as a key partner in the Middle East, some EU officials have strongly criticised the Israeli assault on Gaza - although they have also condemned the rocket attacks by militant group Hamas which provoked the offensive.

EU aid “goes impartially to those who are most in need, in line with the principles of international humanitarian law. The obligation to respect these principles is universal and attacks from either side that kill or injure civilians indiscriminately are unacceptable,” EU Aid Commissioner Louis Michel said. “Blocking access to people who are suffering and dying is also a breach of humanitarian law. I call on the Israeli authorities to respect their international obligations and ensure a ‘humanitarian space’ for the delivery of vital relief,” he said. The Czech government, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, was to head a diplomatic mission to the Middle East, although French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose country held the presidency until January 1, beat them there as he tried to broker a cease-fire.