Europeans call to end Israel's occupation

JERUSALEM, Dec. 10 (UPI) -- A group of about 26 former European leaders called on the European Union to back a Palestinian state and put an end to Israel's occupation, Haaretz reported.

The group sent a letter calling for measures to be taken against Israel because of its settlement policy and refusal to abide by international law, the newspaper said Friday.

The document supports recent decisions made by South American countries to recognize a Palestinian state within 1967 borders, Haaretz said.

The officials called for a freeze on any EU decision to upgrade relations with Israel or enter bilateral agreements until the country halts all its settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the report said.

The group also proposes the EU announce it will not accept any unilateral changes to the 1967 border that Israel established against international law, and that the Palestinian state would cover an area the same size as the area occupied in 1967 and its capital will be East Jerusalem, the newspaper said.

Among the officials who signed the letter were former German President Richard von Weizsacker, former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzales, former Italian Prime Minister and former Irish President Mary Robinson.