The European Union presidency said today Israel's attack on a Syrian radar station in Lebanon had been excessive and that Israeli incursions into Palestinian territories were illegal.
Sweden, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said in a statement that the spiral of violence must be reversed.
The Israeli attack on Syrian targets in Lebanon, the first in many years, as a retaliation for the Hizbollah attacks on the Shebaa Farms, was an excessive and disproportionate reply, Stockholm said.
Three Syrian soldiers were killed and six other wounded when Israeli jets destroyed the radar station early on Monday.
Israel later launched air and naval strikes on Palestinian security targets in the Gaza Strip and seized parts of territory it had handed over to Palestinians under interim peace deals. Israeli forces withdrew from the re-occupied areas on Tuesday, less than 24 hours after launching the strikes.
Israeli incursions into Palestinian controlled territories are illegal and must not be repeated, Stockholm said.
The EU's condemnation comes a day after the United States also described Israel's use of force as excessive.