On Monday, while Israeli and Palestinian representatives were meeting in Amman, Palestinian Liberation Organization Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi called upon Europe's intervention to “end the occupation.” The Palestinians, who have been unable to get Israel to freeze settlement construction, have good reason to believe that Europe will sympathize.
Just before Christmas there was an unusually sharp exchange between Israel and Europe over Israeli renewal of settlement expansions. We believe that Europe’s concerns are genuine and reflect the views of most of the international community, and that Israel should take them seriously. Otherwise, expect frictions between Israel and Europe to grow worse in the coming months.
In a statement on December 20, the European members of the UN Security Council—the UK, France, Germany and Portugal—called on Israel to reverse settlement expansion, declaring, “The viability of the Palestinian state that we want to see and the two-state solution that is essential for Israel’s long-term security are threatened by the systematic and deliberate expansion of settlements.”
The government of Israel reacted angrily. Its foreign ministry criticized the statement, saying that it interferes with Israel’s domestic affairs and warned that Israel might turn away from the Europeans, since the statement “does not enhance the status they [the European nations] wish to be granted.” The U.S. joined Israel in rebuking Europe with State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland observing that “shouting from the rooftops of the Security Council is not going to change the situation on the ground.”
For more: Israel's Tussle with Europe | World Policy Institute
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