Luxembourg urges EU to recognize Palestinian state

Israel is reportedly concerned about the initiative, but Israeli and European officials noted that the issue will likely not be discussed during the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday.

By TZVI JOFFRE, RACHEL WOLF
Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn arrives for a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Foreign Ministers at the State Department in Washington, U.S., April 4, 2019 (photo credit: REUTERS/JOSHUA ROBERTS)
Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn arrives for a meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Foreign Ministers at the State Department in Washington, U.S., April 4, 2019
(photo credit: REUTERS/JOSHUA ROBERTS)
Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn is urging the European Union to recognize Palestine as a state, Axios reported, adding that the initiative is in response to US's change in settlement policy.
In a letter addressed to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, as well as all EU foreign ministers, Asselborn wrote "it is time to start a debate within the European Union on the opportunity of a recognition of the State of Palestine by all its Member States," according to Axios.
"The recognition of Palestine as a State would neither be a favor, nor a blank check, but a simple recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to their own State. In no way would it be directed against Israel. Indeed, if we want to contribute to solving the conflict between Israel and Palestine, we must never lose sight of Israel’s security conditions, as well as of justice and dignity for the Palestinian people."
Israel is reportedly very concerned about the initiative, but Israeli and European officials noted that the issue will likely not be discussed during the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Monday in Brussels, but rather during the next meeting in January.
Slovenia's Foreign Minister Miro Cerar said on Sunday that EU member states cannot remain silent about what is happening in Palestine, according to the Palestinian WAFA news agency. Cerar pointed to "dangerous developments on the ground" and pointed out that the new EU leadership doesn't accept the injustice of the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people.
Slovenia supports the two-state solution and sees the settlements as illegal, stressed Cerar. The foreign minister talked with Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Riyad Maliki about the "dangerous" steps taken by the US administration which would "eliminate any opportunity for a two-state solution," according to WAFA, including statements by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that Israeli settlements are not illegal according to international law.
Cerar made the comments on the sidelines of the Mediterranean Dialogues conference in Rome. Maliki stressed the need to take a unified stand towards the current situation and discussed ways to strengthen the Palestinian relationship with the EU to "save the peace process and pressure Israel and prevent it from annexing the Jordan Valley."
The two also discussed ways to enhance relations between Slovenia and the PA, including by encouraging investment. Cerar stressed that Slovenia will do its best to support Palestine in international forums, with both sides agreeing to "communicate and coordinate their steps."
Last week, 11 EU countries, plus Latin American powers Brazil and Colombia, voted for the first time against a resolution that has passed every year since 1977 mandating a special “Division for Palestinian Rights” inside the UN Secretariat, devoted to promoting the Palestinian narrative against Israel.
Maliki criticized the votes during the meeting with Cerar, according to WAFA.
In November, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Israeli goods produced over the pre-1967 line must be marked as settlement products.
Herb Keinon and Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.


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