EU: All agreements with Israel “inapplicable to Occupied Territories”
The European Foreign Ministers ruled at their monthly council meeting Monday that all agreements between the EU and Israel must “unequivocally and explicitly indicate their inapplicability to the territories occupied by Israel in 1967.” The Israeli Foreign Ministry maintained that this formulation was a softening of the original harsh decision which mandated a “distinction” between Israel and those territories – the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Hieghts.“ Advanced by France, Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain, the harsher resolution was dropped at the insistence of Greece, Romania, Hungary and Poland. While retaining the labeling directive for Israeli products, the ministers claimed that their resolution does not constitute a boycott of Israel “which the EU strongly opposes.”
Israel’s blasted the European Union for “continuing to maintain a double standard in regard to Israel, while ignoring the Palestinian Authority's responsibility for the stalemate in the diplomatic process and incitement fueling the Palestinian wave of terror. From some 200 territorial disputes around the world the EU chooses to discriminate only against Israel. This outlook prevents the EU from being a fair partner in resolving the conflict," the statement said.