The situation in the Middle East will once again be one of the main issues addressed by the EU27 heads of state or government meeting in Brussels on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 June.
In his letter of invitation, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, announced that the EU27 will call for the full implementation of the terms of US President Joe Biden’s three-phase ceasefire proposal (see EUROPE 13422/11), set out in UN Security Council Resolution 2735, adopted on 10 June (see EUROPE 13429/21).
The European Council will also call for compliance with and implementation of the provisional measures taken by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel (see EUROPE 13337/15), said Mr Michel.
According to draft conclusions dated Tuesday 25 June, a copy of which Agence Europe has obtained, the European Council is expected to call on Israel to halt its military ground operation in Rafah, “the continuation of which would worsen the already dire consequences on the civilian population”.
In these conclusions, the European Council also “condemns the Israeli government’s decisions to further expand illegal settlements across the occupied West Bank” and urges Israel to reverse these decisions.
In addition, it says it will continue to support the Palestinian Authority in its necessary reforms.
Israel/Hezbollah tensions. Faced with rising tensions between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah and concerns of regional escalation (see EUROPE 13438/6), the EU27 will “urge all actors to exercise restraint, prevent further escalation and engage in international diplomatic efforts”.
The EU27 leaders could also invite the Commission and the High Representative of the Union to continue work on strengthening EU support for Lebanon, including for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and - at France’s request, an Elysée source said on Tuesday - for the Lebanese Armed Forces.
EU support for the Lebanese army via the European Peace Facility was put forward on Wednesday by a European diplomat.
Humanitarian aid. The European Council is expected to reaffirm “the urgency of full, rapid, safe and unhindered access” of humanitarian aid to the Palestinians. It will also reiterate its support for humanitarian organisations operating in Gaza, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) (see EUROPE 13422/28).
To see the draft conclusions of the European Council: https://aeur.eu/f/ctk (Original version in French by Bernard Denuit with the editorial staff)