EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS

During a visit to the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Finnish foreign minister, Erkki Tuomioja, discussed the humanitarian issues facing the Sector and promised a $1.5m increase in his country's support to UNRWA.

Tuomioja accompanied UNRWA staff on a short tour to several places in the Strip, including the University of Palestine where he was offered him an Honorary Doctorate for his efforts toward international humanitarian justice.

The European Union yesterday denied reports by Israeli media outlets regarding the postponement of its decision to label Israeli settlement products.

A statement was made by the EU delegation in Israel saying "Contrary to what was recently reported in Israeli media, work on the enforcement of EU legislation with regard to the labelling of settlement products has not been delayed."

The 11th annual "Palestinians in Europe Conference", organized by the General Secretariat of the Palestinians in Europe Conference and The Palestinian Return Centre (PRC), was held on Saturday in the Belgian capital, Brussels, and was attended by several Palestinian representatives and influential figures, under the theme "The Signs of Return are Blossoming".

The conference is considered one of the biggest Palestinian gatherings held in Europe annually and is an indication of the Palestinians' dedication to their identity, which the occupation is seeking to erase.

Haaretz newspaper has reported that the European Union has given into US pressure and postponed a decision to label settlement products, in order to distinguish them from other Israeli products, which would have facilitated consumer choice and the boycott of illegal products.

The newspaper quoted Israeli and European officials as saying that the decision, which had been due to be approved at a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council this week, had been postponed until late June.