Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has told Plaid Cymru the Party of Wales Euro MPs Jill Evans and Eurig Wyn and AM Geraint Davies that he has documented evidence that an Israeli attack on Gaza is imminent, possibly to be launched this evening.

The all-Wales Euro MPs and Rhondda Assembly Member met Mr Arafat in Ramallah this morning (Thursday) as part of a European Parliamentary delegation visiting representatives of the Palestinian and Israeli authorities in Jenin, Tel Aviv, Ramallah and Jerusalem.

Following the meeting Jill Evans MEP, the leader of Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales in the European Parliament, said:

"Yasser Arafat was very concerned that Israeli action in Gaza could cause severe loss of life. Gaza is very densely populated and he told us that any substantial military offensive would inevitably lead to a very large number of civilian casualties. He asked us as representatives of the European Union to press the international community to take urgent action to break this cycle of violence."

Eurig Wyn MEP said:

"We must support the efforts of all those who are working for peace in the Middle East. Europe must act strongly and decisively, in co-operation with the Arab countries, the UN and the USA to demand that Israel respects international and humanitarian law. Mr Arafat was adamant that Israel should also revert to the 1967 borders before any progress can be made on a long term peace agreement."

Geraint Davies AM added:

"Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales has long called on Israel to abide by UN resolutions and withdraw from the occupied territories. The crisis has now reached such an appalling level that we need to bring pressure to bear on all levels in order to re-establish a dialogue and end the spiral of violence which is engulfing the region."

The delegation’s scheduled visit to Bethlehem tomorrow has been cancelled on safety grounds due to the ongoing situation at the Church of the Nativity. The MEPs were to hold a series of talks with the towns elected representatives. They will now visit Nablus – the West Bank’s biggest city.

Ends.