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EU foreign ministers expected to issue West Bank clarification
The foreign ministers of the 28 European Union (EU) member states are expected to meet today and approve a resolution which would sharpen distinctions between Israel’s pre-1967 borders and beyond.
In November, Israeli government and opposition leaders were united in their condemnation of EU guidelines which called for the separate consumer labelling of West Bank goods, arguing that the move would do nothing to help bring about a two-state solution. It is thought that the EU Foreign Affairs Council will meet today to approve a resolution which would further underscore separate EU classification of the West Bank. The EU Reporter says that the draft resolution states, “The EU will continue to unequivocally and explicitly make the distinction between Israel and all territories occupied by Israel in 1967, by ensuring inter alia the non-applicability of all EU agreements with the state of Israel, in form and in implementation, to these territories.”
The same report says that the resolution “urges Israel to end all settlement activity and to dismantle the outposts erected since March 2001.” And although it “firmly condemns the terror attacks” perpetrated by Palestinians in recent months, the resolution will call on Israel to “adhere strictly to the principles of necessity and proportionality in the use of force” in tackling the terrorists.
Any resolution issued by the EU Foreign Affairs Council must be agreed to by all 28 EU foreign ministers. Consequently, Haaretz reports that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken to officials in Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Hungary and the Czech Republic, asking them to oppose the resolution. Alluding to today’s meeting in Brussels, Netanyahu told his cabinet yesterday that “double standard, distortion, attacks and bias against Israel will not help the EU in being a partner in discussions on the Middle East,” calling it “simply inappropriate and unjust.”
EU Reporter says that Greece is actively pushing to soften the draft resolution and wants to include within the text more references to terror attacks against Israel.