EU Foreign Ministers meeting Monday in Brussels are expected to “strongly oppose” Israel’s announced plans to build new housing units in the West Bank but will stop short from pressuring Israel to abandon the plans through "punitive" measures promoted by some member states.
Upon arrival at the meeting, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton made no mention of the issue that was discuted with the 27 ministers during lunch, in remarks to the press.
According to a draft circulating at the meeting, the EU statement says it is “deeply dismayed and strongly opposes Israeli plans to expand settlements in the West Bank" which they claim “threaten peace efforts that instead need to be revived.”
The EU believes it was now time to take "bold and concrete steps towards peace." To this end, both sides must "engage in direct and substantial negotiations without pre-conditions in order to achieve a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ending all claims,” the draft statement says.
The EU also called on the Palestinian leadership to use the UN upgrade constructively and not take steps which would "deepen the lack of trust and lead further away from a negotiated solution."
The EU, Britain, France and several other European countries summoned Israeli envoys last week to protest over the plan to build settlements in an area known as ‘E1,’ a corridor of land located between Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adoumim, the largest in the West Bank.
According to informed sources, some countries have promoted the idea to link the continuing Israel settlement policy with the EU-Israel trade and economic relations.