Palestinian FM welcomes EU Council Statement

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry welcomed Tuesday the European Union's Council conclusions on the Middle East peace process adopted at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting. It said in a statement that the ministry “especially welcomes the Council's emphasis on opposing all policies of occupation that undermine confidence and the viability of a two-state solution.” It said that “the statement is a reflection of the EU's constant support for the just rights of our people and the cause of peace in the entire region.” It added, “The EU statement has sent a message of hope and promise of justice and commitment to international law and legitimacy for all Palestinians — those living under occupation in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, those in refugee camps, those in the diaspora, and those waiting for their freedom in Israeli prisons.” The EU strongly criticized in its statement Israeli plans to build a new settlement on occupied Palestinian land in the East Jerusalem area, which it said could undermine prospects to create a viable Palestinian state. The foreign ministry statement said that the Israeli policies in East Jerusalem, including the ongoing evictions, house demolitions, changes to the residency status as well as expansions of settlements within and around the city and denying Palestinians their connection to the city pose a serious threat to the two-state solution, and this must end immediately. “Israel cannot be allowed to continue its attempts to jeopardize the achievements of the Palestinian leadership and the international community at large aiming at building a viable state on the 1967 boarders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” it said. “We strongly call on the European Union and the Quartet to adopt policies to ensure that Israeli settlement activity is stopped and that international law and human rights law are implemented,” it added. “We hope that concrete action will be adopted by all EU member states to implement the existing EU legislation and the bilateral agreements applicable to settlement products. We also call on EU states to adopt steps that will ensure Palestinian continued official presence in East Jerusalem and that the EU policy on the city is enforced.”