
 
 
The Foreign  Ministry warned Tuesday morning that a Swedish-led attempt to have the European  Union recognize eastern Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian Authority  will backfire. 
The draft proposal, expected to be placed on the EU table  next week, would damage efforts to reach peace with the PA and damage the EU’s  standing as a trusted entity, ministry spokesman Yossi Levy said. “The Europeans  must pressure the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table," he added.  "Such moves like the one being led by Sweden lead to the opposite  outcome."
The Swedish proposal also omits any recognition of the rest of  Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Government officials estimate that  several EU members will oppose the proposal by Sweden, which retains the  rotating presidency of the European body until next month. 
Likud Knesset  Member Tzipi Hotovely blamed her own government for the EU move, saying, “This  is more proof that the erosion of legitimacy for residents of Judea and Samaria  is the direct cause for the erosion of the status of Jerusalem.” 
The  draft proposal of the EU will include its readiness to recognize the PA as a  “democratic” and independent entity if PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas carries out his  plan to unilaterally declare statehood. Abbas has asked the United Nations to  recognize the PA as an independent state based on the 1949-1967 borders of  Israel, a move which in effect destroys the Roadmap plan and American efforts  for a negotiated agreement with Israel.