EU foreign policy chief warns Israel any West Bank annexation can’t go unchallenged

European foreign policy chief Josep Borrell

Associated press and Times of Israel report, “The European Union on Tuesday rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposal for securing peace in the Middle East and expressed concern about Israel’s plans to annex large swaths of the West Bank that Palestinians seek for their future state.”

“Trump’s plan, which was unveiled last week, would see the eventual creation of a Palestinian state over some 70 percent of the West Bank, falling far short of minimal Palestinian demands and leaving sizable chunks of the territory in Israeli hands.”

“Borrell said the US initiative “departs from these internationally agreed parameters.” “To build a just and lasting peace, the unresolved final status issues must be decided through direct negotiations between both parties,” Borrell said. “This includes notably the issues related to borders, the status of Jerusalem, security and the refugee question.”

In a statement, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell underlined the bloc’s commitment to a two-state solution based along the pre-1967 lines, with the possibility of mutually agreed-upon land swaps, made up of the State of Israel and “an independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable state of Palestine.” (more…)

Times of Israel and Associated Press report, “The European Union foreign policy chief’s unusually strident warning Tuesday that an Israeli annexation in the West Bank won’t pass “unchallenged” reportedly came after he failed to convince Europe’s foreign ministers to issue a similar criticism as a unified bloc.”

“According to Hebrew media reports, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell tried to convince the 27 European foreign ministers who are members of the union’s Foreign Affairs Council to issue a shared resolution criticizing the peace plan proposed by the Trump administration last week, and warning against Israeli leaders’ declared intention to annex significant parts of the West Bank within weeks.”

“But Israel’s Foreign Ministry lobbied hard with European governments against the resolution, the reports said, arguing it was one-sided and encouraged Palestinians to avoid direct negotiations. At least six European member states apparently agreed and decided to oppose the resolution. They included Italy, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, and at least two other unnamed nations, the reports said. That opposition killed the joint statement, as EU foreign policy declarations must have the agreement of all 27 member nations.”

Palestinians spray paint over the U.S. Agency for International Development logo as they protest U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,

“Borrell then issued a statement in his own name, rejecting the Trump peace proposal and warning that an Israeli annexation would violate international law. Borrell’s statement underlined the bloc’s commitment to a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 lines, with the possibility of mutually agreed-upon land swaps, made up of the State of Israel and “an independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable state of Palestine.” (more…)