Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Monday he does not want his country's relationship with Europe to be "held hostage" by views on the conflict with Palestinians, as Israel resumed a dialogue with the European Union strained by the war in Gaza, APA reports citing Reuters.
Saar held talks with senior European officials in Brussels as the bloc considered a role in the reconstruction of Gaza following last month's fragile ceasefire deal.
"Israeli-EU relations must not be held hostage to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," Saar said in a joint press conference with EU officials following the discussions.
The Israeli minister co-chaired a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in the first such session since 2022.
Kallas described the session as "candid", saying at the joint press conference that "I'm glad we can do this with you".
The EU foreign policy chief also outlined a range of worries about the situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
"We have constantly called on all parties, including Israel, to respect international humanitarian law," she said, adding that Europe "cannot hide our concern when it comes to the West Bank" and supports the return of displaced Palestinians to their Gaza homes.
Kallas also said it was imperative that the ceasefire in Gaza moves toward a second phase and that the EU will support reconstruction of the enclave when the time comes.
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