"A War Is Always Lost Because a War Is Loss of Life"

EU envoy to the Middle East Marc Otte said the current crisis in Lebanon shows once again that military solutions cannot resolve the deeply rooted conflicts between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Though he said he was unable to predict just how much longer the bloody conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is going to last, but that there would be no winning side.

''A war is always lost because a war is loss of life and destruction. We've learned it the hard way in Europe,'' he said.

Otte has been touring the Middle East for the past three years, developing important contacts and gathering information about how to address the deeply entrenched problems.

European Union diplomats have made numerous diplomatic excursions to the Middle East in attempts to secure an immediate ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. However, there is currently no unified position within the bloc as to how the EU can effectively contribute to the peace process. Otte advocates an immediate cessation of hostilities.

''It is a unanimous feeling and conviction in the European Union that there is no military solution,'' he said, though he added that not everyone he met during his travels of the Middle East shared this belief.

EU working towards resolution in the Middle East

Otte said he attempts in his travels to deliver a message of patience, and pointed to Europe's experience of conflict resolution.

''Our history shows that resolving conflicts for the long term means cooperation and integration,'' he said. ''It's part of our mission, in the external actions of the EU, to offer this model and the tools.''

The European Union remains prepared to work together with Lebanon, Israel, Syria and other influential powers, he said, adding that he was sure that after the bombs have stopped falling, European funds would be available for the reconstruction of houses, bridges and infrastructure.

''There is an extreme readiness of the Europeans to provide the tools to rebuild, the tools to sustain a non military solution as we’ve shown in the past,'' he said.

Otte said a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is key to stability in the Middle East. He said the so-called roadmap -- the international peace plan that aims for a two-state solution within secure borders -- must be put back on the table.

"Nobody can impose something on others,'' he said. ''We can act as a guide if we overcome the present crisis in Gaza [and] there is a good prospect for Palestinians of all factions to agree on a program of government acceptable to the international community.''

The preconditions for an Israeli-Palestinian resolution would have to involve the Hamas-led Palestinian authority recognizing the state of Israel, Otte said. In return, Israel must returning occupied territories -- and not just in the form of separated islands.

He did not specify a timeframe in which this should occur, but said the Palestinians deserve a certain date by which they could expect change to take place.