European Parliament President Martin Schulz greeted news of the Palestinian Authority (PA)’s successful bid for non-member observer status at the UN General Assembly in New York Thursday as being in line with the assembly’s calls for the PA’s claims for statehood to be made more “visible”, on the path to achieving Europe’s desires two state solution in the region.
Invoking last week’s resolution by MEPs at the European Parliament plenary session in Strasbourg, which saw a majority agree that the UN vote represented “an important step in making Palestinian claims more visible, stronger and effective”, he cautioned however that the decision should not be viewed as “a substitute for a comprehensive negotiated political solution acceptable by both sides”.
Israel and the US both vehemently opposed the bid by PA President Mahmoud Abbas as being counter-productive to international efforts to reinvigorate the peace process, insisting that the only way to achieve an agreement would be through direct talks between Israel and the Palestinians, without preconditions.
Referring to concerns over the lack of consensus position on the issue amongst EU member states, which saw leading European countries France and Italy support the Palestinian demand, whilst Germany and Britain abstained, Schulz added: “We urge the EU and its members states to play a more political role in the efforts aimed at achieving a just and last peace between Israelis and Palestinians”.
No other EU institution leader had yet responded to the news of the UN vote Friday, although EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton appeared to voice fears a yes vote would whitewash efforts to bring about an end to the impasse in peace talks, when she said Thursday: “Only a political solution to the conflict can bring
lasting security, peace and prosperity to Palestinians and Israelis. A comprehensive negotiated peace, which is a fundamental interest of the EU, as well as the parties in the region, must and can be achieved on the basis of a two-state solution”.
Speaking after Thursday's vote, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon insisted the result underscores the urgency of a resumption of meaningful negotiations”, as he called on both “parties to renew their commitment to a negotiated peace”.
Emphasising the sense of urgency for a return to diplomacy, the President of the General Assembly Vuk Jeremic appealed directly to delegates “my dear friends from Palestine and Israel” to continue pursuing peace.
“I have no doubt that history will judge this day to have been fraught with significance – but whether it will come to be looked upon as a step in the right direction on the road to peace will depend on how we bear ourselves in its wake,” he continued, concluding: “Let us therefore have the wisdom to act in furtherance of the goal I’m sure we all share.”