GAZA, June 6 (UPI) -- The minister of refugee affairs in the Hamas-led Palestinian government denounced the European Union's economic policy towards Palestinians as mass punishment.
Atef Adwan said in a letter addressed to EU Foreign Policy Commissioner Javier Solana that the Palestinian government and people were extremely surprised by the EU's stance and bias "on the side of the aggressor against the victim."
Adwan called on the EU to reconsider its wrong stance and respect the democratic choice of the Palestinian people, noting that "European peoples choose their governments in a free and democratic way which is accepted by the world, while the same is not accepted from the Palestinians."
The minister stressed in his letter the difficult economic, health and living conditions endured by Palestinians under the freezing of state employee salaries imposed by Israel and the United States to oust the freely-elected Palestinian government.
"The occupation forces continue their daily crimes against the unarmed Palestinian people and our sons are being killed on a daily basis while no one looks at them with respect and care despite their plight and sufferings," Adwan said.
"Unfortunately, the EU is standing in the rank of the oppressor against the oppressed while it is justice to ask Israel to stop its unabated crimes in order to have a just peace for all," he added.
Adwan urged the Europeans to intervene and put pressure to bear in Israel in order to release the money of the Palestinian people which it has been confiscating since Hamas formed the government following its elections victory last January.
He said Israel is holding donations to the Palestinians worth $220 million in order to tighten the siege and starve the Palestinian people.
