Sound The Trumpet : Foreign Ministry: EU Resolution Ignores Main Obstacle to Peace

Must Listen

Must Read

What Art Thinks

Pre-Millennialism

Today's Headlines

Sorry... Not Available

Locally Contributed...

Audio

Video

Special Interest

Daily News

8805

“Foreign Ministry: EU Resolution Ignores Main Obstacle to Peace”
by Jpost
December 8th, 2009

A resolution passed by European Union foreign ministers Tuesday to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of both Israel and a future Palestinian state "ignores the primary obstacle to achieving a resolution between Israel and the Palestinians," according to a Foreign Ministry statement released after the vote.

The statement said that main factor preventing a peace agreement was "the Palestinian refusal to return to the negotiating table."

"Given the Israel Government's efforts to renew the negotiations, Israel regrets that the EU has chosen to adopt a text that, although containing nothing new, does not contribute to the renewal of negotiations," the statement added.

Nonetheless, the Foreign Ministry expressed relief that the original Swedish draft, which did not recognize Israel's claims to east Jerusalem, was revised, stating that the "voices of the responsible and reasonable EU states" had prevailed.

The Foreign Ministry statement ended with a call for the EU to "promote direct negotiations between the parties, while considering Israel's security needs and understanding that Israel's Jewish character must be preserved in any future agreement."

Also responding to the resolution Tuesday, a senior aide to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the EU document.

"We hope that Israel agrees to the principles contained in the statement, because this is the right way to launch serious negotiations," said Yasser Abed Rabbo.

The draft EU ministerial resolution which was approved Tuesday said, "The EU will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem."

The document also called for the establishment of a Palestinian state comprising the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem. "If there is to be [peace] a way has to be found to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the capital of two states," it said.

Most EU ministers appeared supportive of the latest draft, although some said the declaration should not antagonize either party in the dispute at the risk of undermining efforts to restart peace talks.

"I don't really understand why Israel does not accept that Palestine consists of the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem," Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn told journalists. "The Israelis have a right to live in Israel, the Palestinians have a right to live in Palestine."

Finish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb said the EU must affirm its stand on the status of Jerusalem and insist that Israel must not resume settlement building.

"The EU has very strong principles and we have to stick to those principles," Stubb said. "I think the negotiations, the peace process must simply start and this is a way forward."

The EU foreign ministers meeting is intended to pave the way for the regular, year-end summit on Thursday and Friday.

The European Jewish Congress (EJC) also reacted with disappointment to the foreign ministers' declaration.

EJC President Dr. Moshe Kantor said that the declaration hardly took into account recent Israeli concessions including the 10-month moratorium on settlement building, removing West Bank roadblocks, boosting the Palestinian economy and accepting the premise of a Palestinian state.

"Although the declaration goes some way to correcting the unprecedented proposals by the Swedes, it is still extremely lopsided towards the Palestinian point of view," Kantor said. "This will only embolden the Palestinians by sending them the message that they don't need to negotiate because they will receive everything on a silver platter. It also ignores the fact that Israel has repeatedly called for immediate and direct negotiations without preconditions, something repeatedly ignored by the Palestinians."

"Israel has taken significant steps towards the renewal of talks by its actions, including freezing the settlements, and it is time to push the Palestinians back to the negotiation table, not in the opposite direction," Kantor added. "Peace can only be achieved by negotiations between the two parties."

He said the EJC believes that the nature of the declaration stood in contrast to the role of an honest broker that the European Union sought to play.

"Europe could and should play a role in the Middle East peace process but some of the wording in the declaration is counterproductive. We call on the EU to assist the process and not hamper," Kantor said. "We urge all EU member states to strive for evenhandedness when dealing with the Middle East."

However, he said that the EJC acknowledged the role played by France, Italy and other nations to soften the original Swedish text.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13