The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, called on Tuesday 10 May for efforts to resume the political process in the Middle East at a time when the region is once again under strain (see EUROPE 12947/24).
“The recent attacks and violence (...) show once again the deeply unstable nature of the current situation and confirm that the situation is not moving fast enough, or at all, in the right direction”, he stressed ahead of a meeting of the ad hoc Liaison Committee for Palestine in Brussels. The High Representative said that “everyone must do their utmost to prevent violence and avoid unilateral actions” and that leaders on both sides had responsibilities to act against extremism and ensure accountability for acts of violence.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt also described a difficult situation. “The situation in the region remains critical. Political discussions have stopped, people are losing hope for a political solution, violence and terrorism (terror) are increasing”, she detailed. “Cooperation is not enough, we desperately need a political horizon to end the occupation”, the minister said. “More needs to be done, it is a matter of urgency”, she pleaded.
Ms Huitfeldt highlighted the cooperative efforts between Israelis and Palestinians, with progress in recent months in the water, energy and labour market sectors and measures to improve life in Gaza.
According to her, the ad hoc meeting was to focus on economic and budgetary issues. “The Palestinian Authority is weakened by its budget deficit. There is an urgent need to strengthen it. The international community’s contributions to the Palestinian Authority are very low”, she explained, adding that the discussion would focus on ways in which Israel could contribute to the budget and how cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority could generate more income for the latter.
The European Commission is blocking the disbursement of support to the Palestinian Authority because of allegations that Palestinian school books contain anti-Semitic, racist or incitement to hatred and violence (see EUROPE 12930/7). This subject was not addressed by Mr Borrell in his statement to the media.
Furthermore, the High Representative criticised the continuation of colonisation. Earlier in the day, in a statement, he denounced the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision of 4 May to approve the eviction order of eight Palestinian villages in the Masafer Yatta area, south of Hebron in the West Bank, “which increases the risk of forced transfer of some 1,200 Palestinians and the demolition of their homes”. “Settlement expansion, demolitions and expulsions are illegal under international law”, he said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)