European Council President Donald Tusk stressed Tuesday after meeting in Brussels with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin that the European Union and Israel are strong partners as the two men discussed ways to strenghten further the relationship at all levels.

‘’We agreed that the European Union and Israel will identify jointly partnership priorities to give even greater focus on our cooperation,’’ Tusk said following the meeting.

‘’We share many values and cooperate closely across many areas. Together we have built the most highly developed relationship that the European Union enjoys in the region,’’ he said.

Fighting terror and achieving peace in the region were among the main points of the round table discussion.

Tusk declared : ‘’We also discussed how best to protect Israeli and European citizens against terrorism. I think that Brussels is, unfortunately, the best place to discuss this issue. I expressed again my condolences for the victims of the recent attack in Tel Aviv. I also welcomed Israel's offer to deepen our cooperation on counter-terrorism, including by re-launching our dialogue in this area later this year. Terrorism can only be defeated if we face it together.’’

As far as peace between Israel and the Palestinians is concerned, Tusk offered the EU’s “unprecedented cooperation with Israel and the future state of Palestine” including humanitarian and development aid.

He welcomed the fact that Israel has put a temporary freeze on “demolitions of Palestinian property during the month of Ramadan.” ‘’We hope that this freeze can become a basis for a more permanent solution, such as a full mortatorium on demolitions and confiscations in Area C of the West Bank,’’ he added.

As far as peace between Israel and the Palestinians is concerned, Tusk reiterated the EU’s offer to back up a peace deal with an “unprecedented package of cooperation and support for both Israel and the future state of Palestine.”

In his statement, Rivlin characterized Tusk as “a true friend of Israel” recalling that when Tusk had been Prime Minister of Poland he had worked towards increasing Polish awareness of the Holocaust and the need to fight anti-Semitism.

He stressed that this was his first visit to the European Council in his capacity as President of the State of Israel, calling it a sign of the great importance of relations between Israel and the EU in many areas.

He added that the EU is Israel’s largest partner in many fields, but even more important, Israel and the EU “share values of democracy, freedom of speech and human dignity.”

Commending the EU for its steadfast willingness to advance peace in the Middle East, Rivlin said “promoting peace is in the viable interest of Israel.”

On Wednesday, Rivlin is to meet with European Parliament President Martin Schulz before addressing the parliament’s plenary. On Thursday, he will meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

by Yossi Lempkowicz