One of the EU’s most senior diplomats has criticised the Israeli foreign minister for not properly engaging with a summit in Brussels designed to pave the way for a peace plan in the Middle East.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, told reporters Israel Katz had come to the meeting to present plans for an artificial island off the coast of Gaza and a railway to India, concepts that had nothing to do with the peace talks.
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“I think the minister could have made better use of his time to worry about the security of his country and the high number of deaths in the Middle East and the high death toll in Gaza.”
The EU foreign policy chief has said he is determined to pursue a two-state solution in the Middle East, whether Israel is ready to participate or not.
“Peace is a very general objective, nobody would say they are against peace; in our view we should stop talking about peace in the Middle East but talk about specifics, about the two-state solution,” he said. “If Israel does not want the solution, it is going to be difficult for them to take part … but it does not stop others taking part.”
This is the best summary I could come up with:
One of the EU’s most senior diplomats has criticised the Israeli foreign minister for not properly engaging with a summit in Brussels designed to pave the way for a peace plan in the Middle East.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, told reporters Israel Katz had come to the meeting to present plans for an artificial island off the coast of Gaza and a railway to India, concepts that had nothing to do with the peace talks.
His remarks came a day after the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reaffirmed a hard line against the establishment of any Palestinian state on the grounds it would pose “an existential danger” to Israel.
“Our brave soldiers are fighting in very hard conditions for those two aims: to bring back our hostages and restore security for the citizens of Israel,” he said in a brief statement before attending the summit.
Nevertheless, his rejection of any moves to establish a state when Israel ends its offensive against Gaza caused consternation and represented his sharpest rebuttal yet of US and EU foreign policy.
The EU paper does not offer any solutions or details but suggests that at a future peace conference participants should spell out “consequences” for both sides, depending on whether they accept or reject a plan approved by the gathering.
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