Brussels, 28/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - At the "General Affairs/External Relations" Council of 12 December, the foreign affairs ministers in the EU will debate the situation in East Jerusalem on the basis of a report- which remains confidential- drawn up by European diplomats in Tel Aviv and Ramallah, extracts of which have been published in the international press in recent days. According to these sources, the report is extremely critical of Israeli policy in the Arab part of Jerusalem (which was annexed by Israel in 1967), stating the view that the Hebrew State wants to "complete the annexation" of Jerusalem, and that this strategy is "reducing the possibilities of reaching an agreement on the final status of Jerusalem which is acceptable to the Palestinians". Amongst other things, the report criticises the development of illegal colonisation in Arab areas of Jerusalem, the demolition of houses, the expropriation of land, the "discriminatory treatment" to which the Palestinians are subjected in terms of working permits or construction, and the construction of the separation wall which is cutting East Jerusalem off from the rest of the West Bank. Israeli actions "are violating obligations under international law and the roadmap", the diplomats stake in their report. "This de facto annexation of Palestinian lands will be irreversible without a large-scale evacuation" of the Israeli colonists established in Jerusalem, the European diplomats note, also voicing fears that these measures may lead to a radicalisation of Palestinians in East Jerusalem.
European diplomats in Brussels confirmed the existence of the report, but stressed that this is a note to be used as a basis for a full and precise analysis report to be put to the foreign affairs ministers for discussion on 12 December, and which will then be published. The diplomats also comments that "on the substance, our line has not changed" and that " this report contains nothing really new", because the EU's position with regard to the Israeli policy in East Jerusalem has always been highly critical. As recently as 7 November, the "General Affairs/External Relations" Council adopted conclusions in which the ministers call upon the Israeli government to put an end to all actions carried out in the Palestinian territories, "including settlement building, the construction of the separation barrier as well as the demolition of Palestinian homes, which are contrary to international law and threaten to make any solution based on the co-existence of two states physically impossible". In the same conclusions, the Council states that it is "particularly concerned about the implementation of these policies in and around East Jerusalem" and called for the reopening of Palestinian institutions in East Jerusalem, particularly the Orient House and the Chamber of Commerce, in line with the roadmap. The Council of 7 November also called on the Israeli government to "cease all discriminatory treatment of Palestinians in East Jerusalem, especially concerning work permits, access to education and health services, building permits, house demolitions, taxation and expenditure".