Brussels, 12/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The EU supports the two-state solution of Israel and a future Palestinian state in the Middle East. These “two democratic states living side by side in peace and security” should “fully guarantee equality to all their citizens”, Catherine Ashton's spokeswoman stressed on Tuesday 12 October. “Basically, in the case of Israel, this means whether they are Jewish or not”, she said in response to questions raised by the press on the idea floated by Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to suspend settlement in exchange for recognition of “Israel as the national state of the Jewish people”. Palestinians refuse as they fear this would be tantamount to giving up the right of Palestinian refugees to return, after being driven out when Israel was created in 1948. (H.B./transl.jl)