Brussels, 20/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 20 July, the Foreign Affairs Council decided to strengthen the EU's action to find a solution to the Middle East conflict, by working on a new multilateral approach.
“The EU (…) will work actively on a renewed multilateral approach to the peace process in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including partners in the Quartet, notably the US, in the region and the United Nations Security Council”, the EU ministers state in their conclusions. In their view, the creation of an international support group is a possible option.
In June, France proposed this type of group but its proposal received a fairly cold response in the region. The Council thus calls on High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini to explore the options for implementing this initiative with the regional and international actors, and to report back in September. The ministers will meet again in an informal session in Luxembourg on 4-5 September.
The Council also underlines that an “immediate priority” is to deal with the “dire” situation in the Gaza Strip. “In the light of the urgent needs of the people of Gaza, all the international community pledges should be honoured”, the EU ministers state, including as regards UNRWA. While hailing the recent measures taken by Israel to ease restrictions in Gaza, the Council states that other measures are needed to enable the delivery of humanitarian aid, reconstruction and economic recovery on a permanent basis.
“Intra-Palestinian reconciliation is an important element for reaching the two-state solution”, the Council says, calling on the Palestinian factions to make reconciliation and the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza a top priority. In the EU's view, actions such as easing restrictions must be part of a fundamental change of Israel's policy on the occupied Palestinian territory. The EU ministers call on Israel to facilitate the reconstruction of the Palestinian state, and social and economic development in Area C. They also call on Israel to halt plans for the forced transfer of population, and demolition of Palestinian housing and infrastructure in the Susya and Abu Nwar communities. In addition, the EU ministers reiterate their opposition to the process of settlement building. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)