STRASBOURG, April 10: The European Parliament called on the 15 EU member states on Wednesday to suspend an agreement on trade and political ties with Israel to protest the military offensive in the Palestinian territories.

In a resolution, adopted by a vote of 269 to 208 with 22 abstentions, the parliament also urged the European Union to “institute an arms embargo on Israel and Palestine”, and to immediately prepare to take part in a potential UN-mandated peacekeeping mission to the Middle East.

“The European Parliament ... calls on the (European) Commission and the Council (of Ministers) ... to suspend the EU-Israel Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement,” the resolution said.

The resolution is not binding on the member states, who in any case would have to agree unanimously on suspending the agreement — a move that Euro deputies say would make it harder for Israel to export to the EU.

But it reflected growing frustration in European political circles over Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s tough military response to ongoing Palestinian suicide bombings.

Israel deplores vote: Israel deplored the European Parliament call and criticized the European Union for not taking an even-handed approach to the Middle East crisis.

“We are disappointed and deplore the resolution,” Victor Harel, deputy director general in Israel’s foreign ministry, told a news conference after the European Parliament passed the resolution.—Reuters