The EU is ready to provide an ‘’unprecedented’’ package of European political, economic and security support to Israel and the Palestinians if both parties reach a final status agreement in peace talks they started in July.
After meeting in Brussels on Monday, European Union Foreign Ministers said that in the event of a final peace agreement the EU will offer Israel and the future state of Palestine a ‘’Special Privileged Partnership’’ including increased access to the European markets, closer cultural and scientific links, facilitation of trade and investments as well as promotion of business to business relations.
‘’Enhanced political dialogue and security cooperation will also be offered to both states,’’ the EU Foreign Ministers said in a statement issued after the meeting.
Commending the ‘’tireless engagement by US Secretary of State John Kerry and the leadership shown by Palestinian Authorty President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, the EU Foreign Ministers stressed that current peace talks represent a ‘’unique opportunity’ which must be seized for both parties to implement a two-state solution.’’
‘’A one state reality would not be compatible with the legitimate sovereign and democratic aspirations of both parties,’’ they said.
They also warned against actions ‘’that undermine the negotiations,’’ deploring ‘’Israel's continuous expansion of settlements, which are illegal under international law and constitute an obstacle to peace.’’
The Foreign Affairs Council also expressed its ‘’grave concern regarding incitement, incidents of violence in the occupied territory, house demolitions and the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.’
‘’The EU expresses its serious concern about actions that undermine the status quo of the holy sites, including in Jerusalem. The European Union will continue to closely mo1nitor the situation and its broader implications, and act accordingly.’’
In a reaction to the EU’s package offer, an Israeli diplomatic source quoted by The Times of Israel said: “These are empty words, meaningless generalities. The offer, the way it looks now, has no concrete content at all and seems somewhat unrealistic.”
“If they really wanted to make their mark on the peace process they would have come up with something a bit more tangible.”
Israel has already a free-trade association agreement with the EU.