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Israel-Palestine
Israel gets a clue says unsure can trust EU after barrier row
2004-07-23
TEL AVIV, July 22 (Reuters) Israel, furious that European states backed a U N resolution against its West Bank barrier, told top EU-diplomat Javier Solana today it was unsure it could trust the European Union as a negotiating partner.
I'll take "Blinding Glimpses of the Obvious" for $500, Alex.
Rocky relations between the Jewish state and the European Union, a member of a Middle East peacemaking quartet, have touched a new low over the U.N. General Assembly resolution calling on Israel to tear down the barrier. "I find myself challenged to convince the Israeli people that the European Union is a partner we can trust," Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told a news conference after meeting EU foreign policy chief Solana in Tel Aviv.

Israel says it needs the barrier, a network of razor-tipped wire and concrete walls, to keep out suicide bombers. Palestinians call it a land grab that will deny them the state they seek on land captured by Israel in a 1967 war. The General Assembly resolution followed up on an advisory decision of the U N-affiliated World Court that the barrier was illegal and should be torn down. Solana said the EU had made clear long ago its opposition to the barrier because it cuts through occupied territory.
And it should also have been "clear long ago" that the Palestinians will dispute what constitutes "occupied territory" even if that property is in down town Tel Aviv.
"From the very beginning we have been against that. It is not a surprise to anybody," he said. Solana said EU nations' backing of the General Assembly resolution reflected a pervasive UN anti-Semitism position that decisions of international organisations like the World Court should be heeded.

He said the EU fully supported Israel's right to self-defence just not anything functional, like the barrier.. "We respect the right of every country to construct a fence on its own territory," but a route "through occupied territory" was not compatible with international law. Palestinians have always insisted on a European role in Middle East peacemaking. They perceive the Europeans as more cowardly sympathetic to their cause than Washington, which has long held the dominant position. But many Israelis mistrust the Europeans, fearing their main aim is sucking up to ingratiate themselves with oil-producing Arab states.
Posted by:Zenster

#3  Re#2: Roman. The X Division (Fretensis) is now marching to reclaim their turf...
Posted by: borgboy   2004-07-23 10:01:25 PM  

#2  Tell me again whos land Israel is occupying? Ottoman?
Posted by: Lucky   2004-07-23 12:17:32 PM  

#1  sure you can trust the EU

You can trust them to be antisemitic
You can trust them to deny being antisemitic
You can trust them to talk anti terrorism
You can trust them to prevent effective action
Posted by: mhw   2004-07-23 8:46:57 AM  

00:00