The recent recognition by some countries of a Palestinian state “does not do any good whatsoever,” Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post.
Rosenthal ends a two-day visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories. It is his first trip to the country since assuming office in the Dutch government led by Conservative-Liberal Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
The Foreign Minister’s visit is taking place as part of the ongoing dialogue between the two states, which have traditionally enjoyed excellent relations.
He met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres on Tuesday. After his meetings in Israel, he travelled to Ramallah in the West Bank, where he met Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki
Netanyahu told him that a unilateral state recognition would "kill negotiations with the Palestinians."
The Dutch parliament has recently passed a resolution calling on the government to work against EU recognition of a Palestinian state.
But among the 27 EU member states, Spain, whose Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez is also visiting Israel, is considered in Jerusalem to be one of the countries that could follow several South American countries, including Brazil, Argentina and Chile, that have recognized a Palestinian state.
However, in the interview, Rosenthal said he had not heard of any European countries on the verge of following the Latin American lead.
"If that would be part of the discussion in the EU framework, I would definitely not be in favor of such steps," he said. "We have to be very prudent and careful about what we are doing."
Rosenthal, who is considered as one of the best friends of Israel among the 27 foreign ministers along with the Czech and the Bulgarian, said his government has been active against trends to delegitimize Israel, countering Israel-bashing and "the use of inflammatory language that is disproportionately expressed in the direction of Israel."
He rejected the description of Israel’s standing now in the EU as being the lowest it has been in decades which he called "exaggerated."
"When you look at the conclusions of a series of council of Foreign Affairs ministers’ meetings, you will see balanced conclusions vis-a-vis the Middle East peace process."
The Dutch minister also said that current unrest in the Arab World is yet another reason to take real steps in the Middle East peace process. He said the European Union should play a substantial role in the process in an attempt to make real progress.
In talks with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman, he called on Israel to relax the limits on exports from the Gaza Strip still further and to permit building materials to be imported again into Gaza to allow for the construction of houses and other buildings.