On the evening of Tuesday 4 July, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, expressed the EU’s deep concern at “the grave escalation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory”.
On Monday 3 and Tuesday 4 July, a major Israeli military operation in Jenin left at least 12 Palestinians and 1 Israeli soldier dead and around 100 injured. A car-ramming attack in Tel Aviv injured seven people.
“All these events are a reminder of the fragility of the situation on the ground, in the absence of prospects for a political solution”, said Mr Borrell in a statement, adding that it was essential for both parties to commit in good faith to reopening a political horizon with a view to a peaceful settlement of the conflict. “The EU urges all parties to de-escalate the situation and to end the vicious cycle of violence”, he stressed.
The High Representative also called for the Palestinian Authority to be strengthened so that it can “re-establish security control of all of Area A of the occupied Palestinian territory in accordance with the agreements in place”. He also called for the continuation of security coordination with Israel, whereas the day before, the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, had announced that this coordination would remain suspended, in response to the Jenin raid.
Mr Borrell also called on Israel to respect its obligations under international agreements. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)