Sunday

4th Jun 2023

EU sketches out conditions for upgrade with Israel

  • Man surveys war damage in Gaza after Israel's Operation Cast Lead in December and January (Photo: Amir Farshad Ebrahimi)

The EU will at a meeting with Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman next month sketch out three conditions for upgrading relations, according to a draft declaration seen by EUobserver.

The text says that the meeting in Brussels on 15 June "confirms the great importance the European Union is attaching to its relations with Israel and its readiness to continue strengthening our bilateral relationship."

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Become an expert on Europe

Get instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

But it does not give any timetable for implementing a formal upgrade in bilateral ties, envisaged before Israel launched "Operation Cast Lead" in Gaza in December.

The omission effectively continues a freeze imposed on the project by Israeli-critical EU countries, such as Belgium, Sweden and Portugal, which feel that the upgrade would give an untimely endorsement to Israel's hawkish new government.

Instead, the declaration spells out three main obstacles standing in the way of closer relations: Israel's refusal to sign up to a two-state solution, the continuing expansion of Jewish settlements and the Gaza blockade.

"The EU clearly stated that the upgrading of relations with Israel should serve the purpose of pursuing the common objectives and interests of both parties," it says. "Our common interests and objectives include the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through implementation of the solution based on two states."

"The [EU] is deeply concerned by the recent increase in settlement activities, house demolitions and evictions in the Palestinian territories, especially in East Jerusalem," it adds.

"Reconstruction and economic recovery of the Gaza Strip require permanent opening of the border crossings for the delivery of humanitarian aid."

Between 500 and 700 truck-loads of aid need to get into Gaza every day to help maintain basic living conditions, but Israel lets in just 100 or so, an EU diplomat explained.

The seven-page EU declaration was drafted by the Czech EU presidency on 20 May and could be changed at any moment in the run-up to the 15 June meeting.

Israel's ambassador to the EU, Ran Curiel, downplayed the importance of any prickly public EU statement, saying the main value of the event will lie in Mr Lieberman's personal introduction to EU officials.

"He will probably say Israel has offered and is offering to upgrade relations with the EU," Mr Curiel told this website. "He will say what he has to say about settlements and Israel's position on other issues inside the room."

The ambassador noted that EU-Israel relations remain vibrant, especially at bilateral level, despite the lack of progress on the upgrade.

The current governments of Germany, France, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania are on the Israeli-friendly side. Belgium, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, Ireland, Greece and Cyprus are more critical, however.

The draft EU declaration also urges "a complete and unconditional stop of attacks against Israeli territory by Palestinian militia."

It takes a firm line on Iran, condemning "threats toward Israel by the Iranian government" and "any denial of the Holocaust as a historical fact."

The text supports the Israeli narrative that militant movements such as Hizbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza are proxies for foreign powers. "Iran should stop its support to violent groups in the region and use its influence in order to encourage them to follow a non-violent approach."

Opinion

How the EU's money for waste went to waste in Lebanon

The EU led support for the waste management crisis in Lebanon, spending around €89m between 2004-2017, with at least €30m spent on 16 solid-waste management facilities. However, it failed to deliver.

Latest News

  1. Spanish PM to delay EU presidency speech due to snap election
  2. EU data protection chief launches Frontex investigation
  3. Madrid steps up bid to host EU anti-money laundering hub
  4. How EU leaders should deal with Chinese government repression
  5. MEPs pile on pressure for EU to delay Hungary's presidency
  6. IEA: World 'comfortably' on track for renewables target
  7. Europe's TV union wooing Lavrov for splashy interview
  8. ECB: eurozone home prices could see 'disorderly' fall

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. International Sustainable Finance CentreJoin CEE Sustainable Finance Summit, 15 – 19 May 2023, high-level event for finance & business
  2. ICLEISeven actionable measures to make food procurement in Europe more sustainable
  3. World BankWorld Bank Report Highlights Role of Human Development for a Successful Green Transition in Europe
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic summit to step up the fight against food loss and waste
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersThink-tank: Strengthen co-operation around tech giants’ influence in the Nordics
  6. EFBWWEFBWW calls for the EC to stop exploitation in subcontracting chains

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. InformaConnecting Expert Industry-Leaders, Top Suppliers, and Inquiring Buyers all in one space - visit Battery Show Europe.
  2. EFBWWEFBWW and FIEC do not agree to any exemptions to mandatory prior notifications in construction
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersNordic and Baltic ways to prevent gender-based violence
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Economic gender equality now! Nordic ways to close the pension gap
  5. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: Pushing back the push-back - Nordic solutions to online gender-based violence
  6. Nordic Council of MinistersCSW67: The Nordics are ready to push for gender equality

Join EUobserver

Support quality EU news

Join us