Home
Politics
Palestinian women and girls demonstrate in the southern Gaza Strip refugee camp of Rafah (AFP/Said Khatib)
On Saturday, Ashton had said she was hopeful of visiting the Gaza Strip during a Middle East trip later this month, adding that she planned to go to Israel on March 17.
A spokesman for Ashton gave the news a cautious welcome.
"As you know the high representative has expressed her wish to go to Gaza and has been in discussions with the Israeli authorities about facilitating this visit," the spokesman said in Strasbourg.
"It is true that the Israeli government has so far reacted positively to this request.
"We are continuing to work on the final programme for the trip and are continuing to talk with the Israeli government in relation to this."
In December, Israel barred a delegation of European MPs from travelling to Gaza after initially authorising the visit.
Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin managed to get in via Egypt late last month, becoming the first European foreign minister to do so for more than a year.
Following the visit Martin slammed the "inhumane... siege" of the Israeli-blockaded territory saying it was "very counter-productive to a peace process."
Ban said in New York meanwhile that he would attend an Arab League summit in Libya later this month to push forward the Middle East peace process after a planned tour of the region.
The UN chief also confirmed his attendance at a ministerial meeting of the Middle East diplomatic Quartet in Moscow on March 19 to encourage an early resumption of direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
The secretary general said he was also planning to visit some unspecified countries in the region: "That will be announced soon. I'm in the process of discussing this matter."
Israel and the Palestinians meanwhile have agreed to give the US-brokered negotiations another chance.
They began on Monday their first indirect talks since Israel launched a devastating military onslaught on Gaza in December 2008 in response to rocket firing by Palestinian militants.
The Quartet, which groups the European Union, the United States, Russia and the United Nations, has endorsed a roadmap for Middle East peace which calls for a viable Palestinian state living peacefully alongside a secure Israel.
But no tangible progress has been made on resolving the core issues of the status of Jerusalem, the future borders of a Palestinian state and refugees.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A spokesman for Ashton gave the news a cautious welcome.
"As you know the high representative has expressed her wish to go to Gaza and has been in discussions with the Israeli authorities about facilitating this visit," the spokesman said in Strasbourg.
"It is true that the Israeli government has so far reacted positively to this request.
"We are continuing to work on the final programme for the trip and are continuing to talk with the Israeli government in relation to this."
In December, Israel barred a delegation of European MPs from travelling to Gaza after initially authorising the visit.
Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin managed to get in via Egypt late last month, becoming the first European foreign minister to do so for more than a year.
Following the visit Martin slammed the "inhumane... siege" of the Israeli-blockaded territory saying it was "very counter-productive to a peace process."
Ban said in New York meanwhile that he would attend an Arab League summit in Libya later this month to push forward the Middle East peace process after a planned tour of the region.
The UN chief also confirmed his attendance at a ministerial meeting of the Middle East diplomatic Quartet in Moscow on March 19 to encourage an early resumption of direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
The secretary general said he was also planning to visit some unspecified countries in the region: "That will be announced soon. I'm in the process of discussing this matter."
Israel and the Palestinians meanwhile have agreed to give the US-brokered negotiations another chance.
They began on Monday their first indirect talks since Israel launched a devastating military onslaught on Gaza in December 2008 in response to rocket firing by Palestinian militants.
The Quartet, which groups the European Union, the United States, Russia and the United Nations, has endorsed a roadmap for Middle East peace which calls for a viable Palestinian state living peacefully alongside a secure Israel.
But no tangible progress has been made on resolving the core issues of the status of Jerusalem, the future borders of a Palestinian state and refugees.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
