Tuesday May 19, 2020
In statement congratulating new government, foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says bloc won’t accept any changes to 1967 borders unless agreed to in deal with Palestinians
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell listens during a press conference after a meeting in Belgrade, Serbia, January 31, 2020. (Darko Vojinovic/AP)
The European Union’s top diplomat on Monday warned Israel against annexing parts of the West Bank, saying the bloc would not recognize any changes to the 1967 lines not agreed upon in a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.
In a statement congratulating Israel on the formation of a new government, Josep Borrell also said the EU was willing to help restart long-dormant peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
“International law is a fundamental pillar of the international rules-based order. In this respect, the EU and its member states recall that they will not recognize any changes to the 1967 borders unless agreed by Israelis and Palestinians,” Borrell said, adding that “the two-state solution, with Jerusalem as the future capital for both states, is the only way to ensure sustainable peace and stability in the region.”
Borrell said the EU viewed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s commitment to push forward with annexation with “grave concern.”“We strongly urge Israel to refrain from any unilateral decision that would lead to the annexation of any occupied Palestinian territory and would be, as such, contrary to international law,” he said.
Presenting his new government on Sunday, Netanyahu said Israel’s law should be extended over West Bank land.
“These regions are the cradle of the Jewish people. It is time to extend Israel’s law over them. This step won’t bring us further away from peace, it will get us closer. The truth is, and everyone knows it, that the hundreds of thousands of settlers in Judea and Samaria will always stay put in any future deal,” he said.
Borrell’s statement came several days after EU foreign ministers met to discuss possible responses if Israel annexes West Bank settlements and the Jordan Valley.
On Friday, Borrell said the EU would work to “discourage” any Israeli initiative toward the annexation of parts of the West Bank and devote diplomatic efforts for a solution.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels after a virtual meeting with EU foreign ministers, Borrell said the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict “remains a priority and it is one of the strategic interests of the European Union.”
Several European nations led by France, and including Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Spain and Luxembourg, have reportedly expressed support for threats of punitive action in a bid to deter the new Israeli government from carrying out annexation with a green light from Washington.
The EU bloc is Israel’s largest trading partner, grants Israel favored trading status, and helps fund Israeli scientific research and development through its massive Horizon 2020 program.
Proposed steps include announcing that Israel would be prevented from entering into trade agreements with the bloc, receiving EU grants or participating in other forms of cooperation with the union. It is not clear if the steps would apply to future agreements or freeze existing ones.
Borrell said that European nations “must work to discourage any possible initiative towards annexation” and such a strategy will require that states reach out to Israel, the US, the Palestinians and Arab partners, “using all channels that the EU and the member states have.”
A picture taken from the controversial E1 corridor in the West Bank shows the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim in the background, Feb. 25, 2020. (Ahamd Gharabli/AFP)
Asked if the EU is prepared to take concrete steps to deter Israel from going ahead with its annexation plan, Borrell responded that for the time being, the EU’s efforts are “devoted to the diplomatic action in order to avoid any unilateral action.”
“What everybody agreed is that we have to increase our efforts and our reach out to all relevant actors in the Middle East in order to avoid that something that we do not want to happen, could happen… And if this happens, then we will see,” said Borrell.
The EU foreign policy chief said it was important for the EU “to have the best relationship with Israel.”
As part of their coalition agreement, Netanyahu and Blue and White party chief Benny Gantz agreed that the government can begin moving forward with applying Israeli sovereignty to settlements and the Jordan Valley after July 1, a move expected to enjoy backing from a majority of lawmakers in the Knesset.
Though Gantz is believed to oppose unilateral action, he acquiesced to Netanyahu’s demand to allow the matter to be brought to a vote in parliament.
The annexation of settlements and the Jordan Valley has been a key campaign promise of Netanyahu and his Likud party in recent elections.
Netanyahu’s plan to annex portions of the West Bank has been met with harsh criticism from nearly the entire international community, including Washington’s European allies and key Arab partners. US President Donald Trump’s Mideast peace plan allows for the possibility of US recognition of such annexations provided Israel agrees to negotiate under the framework of the proposal that was unveiled in January.
According to the proposed plan, the US will recognize an Israeli application of sovereignty over parts of the West Bank following the completion of a survey conducted by a joint US-Israel mapping committee and Israel’s acceptance of both a four-year freeze of the areas earmarked for a future Palestinian state and a commitment to negotiate with the Palestinians based on the terms of Trump’s peace deal.
Alone among most governments, the Trump administration has said it will support the annexation of West Bank territory claimed by the Palestinians for an eventual state as long as Israel agrees to enter peace talks.
US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said this month that Washington is ready to recognize Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank should it be declared in the coming weeks.