Commenting on the situation in the Middle East and the ongoing escalation of violence around the Gaza Strip, S&D Group president Udo Bullmann said:

 

"We have followed with concern the news about and from the Middle East over the past days. We welcome and fully support the statements made by the five EU members in the UN Security Council and by High Representative Mogherini reiterating that the EU will not recognise Israel’s sovereignty over the territories it has occupied since 1967. We raise our voice against President Trump's declaration on the Golan Heights, as we did against his decision to move the American embassy to Jerusalem. All EU member states should avoid any similar step in accordance with international law and the two-state solution. No EU member states embassy can be moved to Jerusalem.

 

“We also follow with increasing concern the violence around the Gaza Strip. We call for an immediate stop to the firing of rockets into Israeli territory by Hamas and other Palestinian groups, and we urge Israel to show maximum restraint in order to avoid another war in the area with civilian casualties.”