Brussels, 26/08/2009 (Agence Europe) - Events in the Middle East seem to be gaining pace. Not only is there the visit by Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, to London and then to Berlin, including his meeting with US Special Envoy George Mitchell, but there is also the lead-up to the three-party summit (Obama, Abbas, Netanyahu) expected on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to be held in New York, as well as the official announcement by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyadh, on Tuesday 25 August, of an action programme providing for the creation of a Palestinian State by 2011, without waiting for the outcome of talks with Israel. To this, Israel adds the fact that it is urgent to deal more firmly with the Iranian nuclear dossier, making it a top priority. The country's press says this is a vital matter, in exchange for concessions in the dossier relating to Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The European Union is closely following this development and, as work resumes in Brussels next week after the summer break, focus will be on preparing the trip to Israel by the president-in-office of the EU Council of Ministers, Carl Bildt, not to mention the possibility of a trip to the region by CFSP High Representative Javier Solana. Officially, only two meetings of working groups are on the agenda for 3 September - one on human rights and the other on EU-Israel collaboration in the field of international organisations.
In this context, the Palestinian Authority seems to openly doubt any possibility of rekindling peace talks that it considers threatened by the continuing colony resettlement policy, which would compromise the two-State solution backed by the United States and the EU. This point of view is shared by Washington and the EU. Israel was quick to reject any unilateral proclamation of a Palestinian state. Youval Steinitz, Israeli Finance Minister, declared on public radio that “there is no place for unilateral decisions or for threats”. “A Palestinian state, in whatever form it takes, will not come about unless Israel's imperative security needs are taken into account”. Mr Netanyahu, however, had agreed on 14 June to the principle of creating a Palestinian state on condition that it be demilitarised.
During his visit to London, Netanyahu met British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Tuesday, showing confidence that relaunch of the peace process is possible. However, when it comes down to it, Israel does not seem to be changing its position. While in the British capital, Netanyahu stressed during a press conference that he does not in any way intend to evoke Jerusalem's status with European or American partners. The press in Israel reports that Netanyahu plans to be adamant when speaking with his interlocutors to stress that Israeli settlements must survive. Nonetheless, Israel is expected to relax its position a little, favouring warmer relations with Washington. According to the daily Haaretz, which reports on talks held by Netanyahu in London, Israel could budge from its position in exchange for greater US and western firmness regarding the Iranian nuclear dossier. There is little room for manoeuvring, however. Avigdor Lieberman was particularly pessimistic before the London and Berlin meetings, according to the Jerusalem Post, which notes that, during a recent press conference, the foreign minister said “there is no chance of reaching an agreement between Palestinians and Israelis in the medium term (…). Those who speak of a two-State solution have absolutely no idea what they are talking about, or are mistaken”. Dan Meridor, Intelligence Minister, cited by the Jerusalem Post of 26 August, states that “no one expects favours from Prime Minister Netanyahu, as offered by his predecessor (Ehud Olmert)”. These comments were taken up in an interview granted by the minister to the German magazine Der Spiegel “shortly before Netanyahu's visit to Berlin” after London, the Israeli paper states. “We have not built any new settlements. We are meeting our commitments. Discussions now aims to reach a compromise”, Meridor said. The newspaper also writes that Meridor hopes to “define a certain red line that must not be crossed - the Old Town, its Jewish quarter and the western Wall will never be part of an Arab state. There could be a compromise on the land of Judea and Samaria (Ed.: West Bank)”. Mr Meridor nonetheless underlined the Israeli government's provision to resume talks with Palestinians while fearing that the Palestinian interlocutor is weaker than before. “Abbas' position is today very affected by internal problems”, the minister said. “Perhaps Abbas is reacting in this way because he does not control the Gaza Strip, where 40% of the population of the territories lives and in which he cannot even travel”, he explained. “We are open to discussion on definitive borders, but we shall not return to the 1967 line”, the minister explained.
On the subject of Iran, the intelligence minister said: “I do not believe that the prime minister has taken a decision (to attack the nuclear installations in Iran), but I do not wish to go into detail (…). In my view, Iran should not be authorised to become a nuclear power. It is not just a problem for Israel, but for the world as a whole”. (F.B./transl.jl)