Croatian diplomat calls for recognition of Palestine

An International Conference on the Responsibility of States and the International Community to Protect Civilian Populations from Mass Atrocities took place in Zagreb on Tuesday.

Croatian diplomat Ivan Šimonović, the UN's Assistant Secretary-General for Human Right, spoke at the conference about global conflicts and Palestinian statehood.

"We have a situation that from the end of the Second World War we have never had this many conflicts, casualties, nor this proportion of civilians among the casualties. This means that civilians are either victims of indiscriminate attacks or that they are deliberately targeted. In any event these are war crimes or crimes against humanity," said Šimonović.

"I think that a two state solution is the only solution for the Middle East, and I think that the time has come for Croatia and the entire EU to recognize Palestinian statehood," said the Croatian diplomat.

Justice Minister Damir Habijan, a member of the ruling HDZ, said he doubted the recognition of the Palestinian state would stop the killing and suffering of innocent civilians, since 140 countries had already done so and the killing continues.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is set to propose punitive measures against Israel on Wednesday in a bid to pressure Benjamin Netanyahu's government to change course over the war in Gaza.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that the Commission would also seek to reimpose duties on some Israeli goods.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen used her State of the Union address in Strasbourg last week to outline the actions she wanted to take against Israel over its conduct of the war.

The EU's 26 commissioners, plus von der Leyen, will formally propose the measures on Wednesday, however, it remains unclear whether EU states will support the latest steps.