New chief EU diplomat urged to review Palestine stance

BRUSSELS — Luxembourg's veteran foreign minister has written to the new head of European Union foreign policy to urge a debate on recognising Palestinian statehood.

In a note to Josep Borrell, who took office last week as Brussels' chief diplomat, Jean Asselborn said a discussion could support efforts to find a "two-state" solution to the Middle East conflict.

The letter, seen by AFP on Monday during an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels, suggests that member states could debate recognition at a future similar get-together.

Any decision on establishing diplomatic relations with a new state would be taken by individual member states, but Asselborn wants to at least discuss it at EU level. 

"The European Union must continue to promote and support the consensus in favour of the two-state solution," Asselborn write to Borrell, who was Spain's foreign minister before moving to Brussels.

“One way to help save this solution would be to create a more equitable situation for both parties.”

“In this regard, I believe that it is time to start a debate within the European Union on the opportunity of a recognition of the State of Palestine by all its member states.”

Israel and its ally the United States oppose the recognition of Palestine as a state, arguing that this would prejudice efforts to find a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

But, to some European capitals, Washington has already put its finger on the scales by recognising the divided city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and by moving its embassy there.

In his letter, Asselborn complains that Israel’s building of settlements on occupied land also endangers the peace process and is a “flagrant violation” of international law.

“The recognition of Palestine as a state would neither be a favour, nor a blank cheque, but a simple recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to their own state,” he argued. 

“In no way would it be directed against Israel.”

There is sympathy for this position in Europe, but the EU has not taken a united position on Palestinian statehood, regarding it as an issue for member states.