BICOM

The EU’s Foreign Affairs Council sharply criticised plans announced recently by the Israeli government for construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, during a meeting of European foreign ministers yesterday in Brussels.

Ten days ago Israel’s government authorised the construction of 3,000 new housing units in East Jerusalem and large existing communities in the West Bank. It also gave permission for planning and zoning in the sensitive E1 area, situated on the outskirts of northern Jerusalem, which is considered important to the territorial contiguity of a future Palestinian state.

A statement said that EU foreign ministers were “deeply dismayed by and strongly opposes Israeli plans to expand settlements in the West Bank, including in east Jerusalem, and in particular plans to develop the E1 area,” explaining that  “The E1 plan, if implemented, would seriously undermine the prospects of a negotiated resolution of the conflict.”

Although the statement warned that “The EU will closely monitor the situation and its broader implications and act accordingly,” it fell short of announcing any practical measures against Israel in response to the construction plans. The statement also warned the Palestinian Authority (PA) that although its United Nations delegation was recently recognised as representing a non-member state, it should not use this status to “undertake steps which would deepen the lack of trust and lead further away from a negotiated solution.” The EU statement also declared that “inflammatory statements by Hamas leaders that deny Israel’s right to exist” were “unacceptable.”

Spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry Yigal Palmor responded to the EU foreign ministers saying, “Facts and history both prove that Jewish settlement never constituted an obstacle to peace… Therefore, the EU’s focus on this issue is mistaken.”

Meanwhile, speaking shortly before the EU statement, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the EU and other international bodies for applying double standards. Referring to Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal’s public call to destroy Israel at a rally in Gaza last weekend, Netanyahu said, “We can’t accept that, when Jews build homes in [Israel’s] ancient capital, the international community has no problem finding its voice, but when Palestinian leaders openly call for the destruction of Israel, the one and only Jewish state, the world is silent.”