On Tuesday 12 December, several MEPs called on the EU to do more to resolve the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, as the US president, Donald Trump, recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
"We have to take a realistic look at the role of the EU in solving this conflict, but our position is unfortunately weak", said Cristian Dan Preda (Romania) on behalf of the EPP, adding that repeating that one wants a two-state solution will not magically bring it about and more needs to be done to have a sustainable peace agreement and the resumption of direct negotiations.
"We have to play our role and need a united Europe more than ever, returning to a two-state solution and finding a negotiated solution. We have been discussing this for months and now need to find the key and ignite the engine", said Hilde Vautmans (ALDE, Belgium).
The time has come for the EU to act, said Elena Valenciano of Spain, on behalf of the S&D. She said we have to recognise Palestine as a state and this is the answer to Donald Trump’s provocation. We owe this to the Palestinian people and it is time for the EU to demonstrate moral and political strength, she added. On behalf of the non-aligned members, Konstantinos Papadakis (Greece) also called for recognition of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Neoklis Sylikiotis (GUE/NGL, Cyprus) called on the EU to take stronger action to demand this recognition.
Margrete Auken (Greens/EFA, Denmark) said the United States were not an honest broker and the EU should take diplomatic initiative to relaunch the process.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini defended her action, saying that the EU had a credible position and it was in nobody’s interest to see the United States roll discredited. She said peace was not possible without the commitment of the United States and what was needed was not a European initiative nor an American initiative but for forces to be united. She said the role of the EU was to try to help things move forward towards a resumption of negotiations. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)