Brussels, 13/12/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the EU condemned Israel's refusal to extend the moratorium on settlement building in the West Bank as being “illegal under international law” and “an obstacle to peace” which is currently preventing any resumption of direct peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. In conclusions adopted by the Council on 13 December, EU foreign ministers stress the urgency of making progress towards the two-state solution which is seen as the only possible way of ending the Israel-Palestinian conflict. “We want to see the State of Israel and a sovereign, independent, democratic, contiguous and viable State of Palestine living side by side in peace and security,” ministers state in the text. They condemn Israeli settlement building and repeat the conclusions of the Council of December 2009 which stated inter alia that “the EU will not recognise any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties”. The status of Jerusalem, which is to be the “future capital of two states” must be settled by negotiation, ministers state. A “just, fair and realistic” solution to the refugee question must be negotiated. The EU remains committed to negotiated resolution of all final status issues over the next 12 months, that is, by the end of 2011, the text adopted on Monday says.
Recognising the Palestinian state “when appropriate”. Ministers do not state explicitly how the EU might react to continued blocking of the peace process by Israeli settlement building. However, the option of European recognition of the Palestinian state (as Argentina and Brazil did last week) is clearly highlighted. “The Council reiterates its readiness, when appropriate, to recognise a Palestinian state,” ministers state unequivocally, welcoming the World Bank's assessment that if the Palestinian Authority maintains its current performance, it will be “ready for statehood in the near future”. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat called on Monday for the EU to recognise the Palestinian state with the borders that existed before the Israeli occupation in 1967. “Such a step by the European Union would provide protection for the two state principle and the peace process,” Erakat said.
Developing relations with Israel.¸ On 10 December, 26 leading European figures, including Javier Solana, Romano Prodi, Felipe Gonzales and Richard von Weizäcker, wrote to Catherine Ashton calling for EU sanctions against Israel because of its continued settlement building - for example, suspending the planned upgrading in bilateral relations or banning the import of goods from the settlements. They also called the EU to refer the issue of the creation of a Palestinian state to the international community, that is, to the United Nations, if there is no progress in peace talks by April 2011. Luxembourg minister Jean Asselborn said before the Council meeting on Monday that it was time to “freeze relations between the EU and Israel a little if the negotiation process cannot be resumed”. Member states finally opted for a more positive message. In their conclusions, they say the EU is ready “to develop further its relations with Israel” within the framework defined at the Association Council of June 2009 and by the conclusions of December 2009. (H.B./transl.rt)