‘’We still believe that the only possible solution to the two states solution ,’’ said Parliamentary Secretary (Minister) of Malta for EU Funds and EU Presidency 201, during a debate in the European parliament in Strasbourg on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

‘’A peaceful solution of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians or even progress on that direction could set a whole new paradigm for cooperation in the region including on security,’’ added Borg whose country currently chairs the presidency of EU Council of Ministers.

He spoke on behalf of EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini.

During the plenum debate, several anti-Israel MEPs condemned Israel’s continued settlement construction, and especially the recent vote of the ‘’Regulation Law’’ by the Knesset, with Neoklis Sylikiotis, chairman of the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with Palestine urging the European Union to freeze the Association Agreement with Israel.

“No solution can be found unless Israel changes its policies. The recent UN Security Council Resolution 2334 reiterates that settlements are illegal and that Israel must end its occupation. The Paris peace conference was a step in the right direction but we are fed up with words. What we need is real pressure on Israel. The EU must freeze its Association Agreement with Israel.”

The MEP from the European Left group cited ‘’the futility of empty EU condemnations while Israeli attacks on Palestinians continue unabated and without consequence’’. “Leniency from the EU has allowed the recent Knesset bill to legalise the theft of private Palestinian land for settlements,’’ he said.

Irish European Left MEP Martina Anderson, known for her repeated anti-Israel tirades, also called on the EU ‘’to go beyond mere words’’ and impose sanctions on Israel.

“When member states breach EU law they are faced with sanctions and infraction proceedings. But when Israel breaches EU law, it does not face sanctions. We must suspend the EU-Israel Associated Agreement which is predicated on EU law and member states must implement the labelling guidelines for settlement goods,” she said.

Speaking on behalf for the Socialist and Democrats Group (S&D), Romanian MEP Victor Bostinaru declared: ‘’The European Union and the world should take concrete steps top encourage Israel to halt any new settlement construction.’’. He said his group requests that the EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini convenes a Quartet meeting as soon as possible to discuss the next steps to be aken.’’

Bostinaru regretted that ‘’the right-wing majority in our Pariliament continues to block the adoption of a resolution on this issue (of settlements).’’

A summit meeting between Israel and the European Union (EU) scheduled for the the end of the month, which was meant to signal an improvement in relations between the two sides, has been postponed earlier this month in the wake of Israel's announcement of new construction in the West Bank and the vote by the Israeli parliament of the law retroactively legalizing dozens of outposts in the West Bank.

The meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council was postponed after a meeting of EU foreign ministers saw several countries saying they opposed holding the summit at this time, including reportedly France, Ireland, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands.

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Secretary-General Saeb Erekat this week called on the EU to impose a total ban on products form Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank).

“This is a crucial moment in order to save the prospects for justice and peace,” he said in a statement quoted by the Palestinian WAFA news agency.

“The Israeli government believes that they can go ahead with their colonization plans and to finally bury the two-state solution, replacing it for the consolidation of a one state/two-systems reality, known as apartheid,” charged Erekat.