Cathy Ashton is in the Middle East, again
The High Representative of the European Union is in the Middle East for a 2-day visit. According to her spokesperson, she will meet with "key" leaders of both the Israeli and Palestinian authorities and confirm the European commitment to the peace process. Before her departure she declared that " Urgent progress is needed to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace and the European Union will continue to support all efforts towards this goal. There is no other initiative than a negotiated solution" . And to add: " We want to see the State of Israel and a sovereign and viable State of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security. » By the way, Cathy Ashton also wants to confirm an emergency: " the need to open crossing points in Gaza with the aim of facilitating reconstruction and economic restart"
Mark the concrete commitment of Europeans
This visit is part of a determined approach by the High Representative who has decided to make this subject one of her priority files (along with piracy and relations with China and the United States). This is his third visit to the region. It thus aims to silence certain criticisms (notably French and Spanish) expressed during the latest negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians which opened in the absence of the Europeans. It also marks a very concrete commitment from Europe in the region. A new check for 100 million euros was made in December by the European Commission to the Palestinian Authority to pay civil servants. While the European project to participate in the opening of the Gaza crossing points is taking shape.
The enhancement of diplomatic relations with Palestine in the line of sight
This visit is also part of a diplomatic mechanism aimed, if not at the formal recognition of the Palestinian state, at an additional mark of support. Several European Union countries should soon raise the level of their diplomatic relations with the Palestinian authority. An approach taken at the national level but concomitantly by around ten countries: Denmark, Sweden, Finland, France, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Malta… This involves in particular better situating the Palestinian Authority on the protocol list diplomatic.
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- Busy few days for Cathy Ashton from the Caucasus to Afghanistan
- EU – Israel. A high-level EU delegation to Gaza in July (update)
- EU confirms opposition to Israel's construction policy in East Jerusalem