BICOM

EU countries have warned the Trump administration that its long-awaited plan for Israeli-Palestinian talks will fail if it disregards “internationally-agreed parameters”.

A group of eight EU states including the UK, France, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Belgium, Germany and Italy said in a statement that: “The EU is truly convinced that the achievement of a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as the capital of both States, that meets Israeli and Palestinian security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty, ends the occupation and resolves all final status issues, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2334 and previous agreements, is the only viable and realistic way to end the conflict and to achieve just and lasting peace.”

The warning was issued yesterday after the UN Security Council held its monthly meeting to discuss the Middle East Peace Process. US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, told the meeting that the Trump plan ‘will be different from all previous ones,’ adding that ‘it recognises that realities on the ground in the Middle East have changed in powerful and important ways.’

Haley said the Palestinians have ‘everything to gain’ from engaging with the plan, but it remains to be seen ‘whether the response [to the plan] will be any different’. She also accused the Arab states of not prioritising the Palestinian people ‘because if they were, you would all be in a room helping bring both sides to the table.’

UK Ambassador to the UN Karen Pierce said: “There must be an agreement on the borders of the two states, based on the 4 June 1967 lines, with equivalent land swaps as may be agreed between the parties.” She added: “Security arrangements for the Palestinians must respect their sovereignty and show that the occupation is over; and for the Israelis, they must protect their security. A just, fair, agreed and realistic solution to the refugee question must be put in place.”  She added that: “We very much welcome the confirmation that a US plan is ready and we look forward receiving it and studying it in due course.”

Pierce said the UK was providing an additional $7m of emergency funding to UNRWA to provide food to refugees in Gaza and the immediate priority must be to ease restrictions on movement and access, reduce tensions and avoid another conflict. She concluded: “The UK is very clear that the well-known parameters are the most viable framework for a just & lasting peace. We remain committed to working with both parties, regional & international partners in support of this goal.”