(AKI) - As nine people were killed Tuesday in new violence in the Gaza Strip, the EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, described the security situation there as "very grave" and urged the Palestinian Authority to do all it could to bring it under control."And what would you suggest we do, Xavier?"
He was speaking during a meeting in Brussels with the Palestinian foreign minister, Zyad Abu Amr.
"Well, I'd recommend you do something."
Gunmen linked to Hamas reportedly attacked militants from the rival Fatah faction near the Gaza-Israel border early Tuesday, in what pro-Fatah security officials said was an ambush on a training camp of the Presidential Guard.
"You said yourself that shooting back at them merely makes them madder. So we shouldn't do that. Except that they keep killing people."
Seven guard trainees were killed and two other gunmen were shot dead by Israeli forces, according to Israeli daily Haaretz.
"How about a ceasefire?"
Solana noted that "it will be very difficult moving forward with the peace process, at least until the internal Palestinian situation is not better than it currently is."
"This is the ceasefire. Last week there was no ceasefire."
"Much must still be done" said Solana, repeating the urgent need for new efforts by the PA.
"This week looks exactly like last week! Only with more corpses!"
He also urged Abu Amr to make "all efforts to secure the liberation" of an Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, abducted by Hamas linked militants last june and the BBC Gaza correspondent, Alan Johnston, who was seized seven weeks ago.
"And make sure they're fed. I dunno if either of 'em's been fed since they were kidnapped."
In the worst factional violence in the Palestinian territories for several months sixteen people have died in Gaza since Sunday.