Ahead of the European Council starting today, the leader of the Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, Iratxe García, met with national leaders of the Party of European Socialists (PES) to discuss the current global instability, as well as key pending legislation to be finalised by June. She expressed her support to the efforts of the UN and its Secretary General to bring a halt to the violence and the need for everyone to respect international and humanitarian law. This includes acts by the Israeli government in its inherent right to self-defence.