World Jewish News

EU stops short of outright recognition of Palestinian state

The European Union on Monday reaffirmed its readiness to recognize a Palestinian state at an "appropriate" time but stopped short of outright recognition despite mounting pressure to break the Middle East impasse.
Pressure has built on the European Union to flex muscle after Israel refused to extend a moratorium on construction in the West Bank, with 26 former European leaders last week demanding sanctions, and Argentina and Uruguay joining Brazil in recognizing an independent Palestinian state.
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Monday urged the EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton in a phone conversation "to take a step towards recognition of the state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said.
"There is growing frustration with Israel after its refusal to commit to a new settlements freeze," a European diplomat told AFP as negotiators quibbled and clashed over a joint EU stand.
But after long and prickly negotiations, Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels adopted a statement that “notes with regret that Israel has not extended the moratorium as requested by the EU, the US and the Quartet,” describing settlements as "illegal" and "an obstacle to peace."
In the letter to Ashton released last week, 26 former EU leaders, including her predecessor Javier Solana, urged her to threaten Israel with sanctions for failing to respect the freeze.
But the idea was apparently rejected by a majority at the ministerial meeting although some among them, like Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn, were in favour of a “tougher” stance against Israel.
Going into the talks, Cyprus Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou said the recognition of a Palestinian state had "always been on the table. But at this stage it's too early."
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said it was vital to avoid action that could compromise Israeli-Palestinian talks, "including unilateral moves".
The EU statement underlines EU support for "a negotiated solution" between the two sides "within the 12 months set by the Quartet" of international mediators.It also welcomes a recent World Bank assessment that the Palestinian Authority "is well positioned for the establishment of a State at any point in the near future".
The EU will not recognise changes to pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than agreed by the parties.
"This could include territorial swaps," it says, without further comment in what a diplomat said was the first such reference by the EU.
It also demands that a way be found to resolve the status of Jerusalem "as the future capital of two states" and calls for a just solution to the refugee problem.
"We are faced with a completely new ball game now that the negotiations in essence have slowed down because of the continuation of building settlements," said Finland's Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb. But asked whether this should mean the recognition of a Palestinian state, he said: "I would not like to go there yet. I think the most important thing is to keep the peace process going."
The EU statement called for massive and immediate efforts to help rebuild and revive the economy of Gaza, a territory run by the Hamas Islamist movement.
It also called for the release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit "without delay".

EJP