The resolution adopted by European Union foreign ministers on Tuesday recognizing Jerusalem as the future capital of two states is an unacceptable, one-sided document. The E.U. statement ignores the true obstacle to peace, which is the Palestinian failure to respond to Israel’s serious overtures for direct negotiations.
Though better than the original draft of the proposal put forth by Sweden, this document does nothing to further the cause of peace. It restates old E.U. positions, which typically raise Palestinian expectations.
As B’nai B’rith first noted when the original proposal was released, guarantees of peace and security for Israel are of utmost importance.
“This déjà vu document offers nothing constructive to further the peace process,” B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said. “The E.U. is rehashing its position, placing the blame for stalled peace talks on Israel, without holding the Palestinians to account for not resuming peace negotiations. This is an unacceptable pre-judging of the outcome.”
It was a surprise to see faint praise for Israel in the statement, as the E.U. ministers commended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent call for a halt on construction in the West Bank. And Israel was praised for steps to ease movement in the West Bank. But such weak acknowledgments do not offset the document’s largely one-sided critique of Israel’s security policies or other grave problems with the text.
The E.U. ministers gave Israel no credit for its successful governing of Jerusalem, guaranteeing Jews, Muslims, and Christians the ability to worship at holy sites in the city.
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