Norway calls donors' meeting on aid to Palestinians

OSLO, July 11 (Reuters) Norway called today for an international meeting this week in support of UN efforts to muster more umanitarian aid for Palestinians during an Israeli military offensive on their territories.

''I have taken the initiative to call a meeting in Geneva on July 14 to give experts from the international donor community an opportunity to discuss the humanitarian needs in Gaza with the United Nations,'' Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said.

The Foreign Ministry of Norway, one of the Palestinians' biggest donors, said the United Nations was struggling to raise a targeted 383 million dollar in annual aid for the Palestinians.

Israel has been carrying out air and ground operations in the Gaza Strip since June 28, three days after militants abducted an Israeli soldier, to secure the soldier's release and halt daily rocket attacks against southern Israel.

Echoing international criticism, Norway's Stoere piled pressure on Israel to stop the campaign.

''The suffering of the civilian population in Gaza as a result of the Israeli military action is totally unacceptable. Israel has a right to self-defence, but at the same time must abide by international law,'' he said in a statement.

The statement also called on militants to stop attacks on Israel and its citizens.

REUTERS SY RN2127