We may be seeing the beginnings of this process:
A dramatic new directive published by the European Union bars its 28 members from all cooperation with Israeli entities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The directive, sent out on June 30 and set to take effect on Friday, extends to “all funding, cooperation, and the granting of scholarships, research grants and prizes” to Israeli entities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, Haaretz reported on Tuesday.
It also requires that any contracts between EU member countries and Israel henceforth include a clause stating that East Jerusalem and the West Bank are not part of the State of Israel, a senior Israeli official told Haaretz.
The Prime Minister’s Office and the Foreign Ministry were reported to be in “great tension and anxiety” over how to respond to the territorial clause, which is likely to be a stumbling block in Israel-EU relations.
Army Radio reported that the directive would also apply to the Golan Heights, captured by Israel from Syria in 1967, potentially drastically impacting exports to Europe from the Golan.
The new directive, initiated in December by the EU foreign ministers, is “in conformity with the EU’s longstanding position that Israeli settlements are illegal under international law and with the non-recognition by the EU of Israel’s sovereignty over the occupied territories, irrespective of their legal status under domestic Israeli law,” the EU said in a statement.
In an Army Radio interview, Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin called the decision worrying, and said it would strengthen the Palestinians’ stance — reducing their motivation to compromise with Israel in peace efforts.
Regional Development Minister Silvan Shalom said the directive underlined “how disconnected” Europe has become from the realities of the Middle East and that its policies proved Europe could not play a sensitive, effective role in Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy.
Ayelet Shaked, from the religious-nationalist Jewish Home, said Israel needed to be strong and determined, and “will not take directives from Europe.”
Europe has long opposed much of Israel’s policy in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and in March EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton was the latest to call for implementing the labeling of products produced in the settlements for sale in Europe.
A key member of the Netanyahu government Deputy Foreign Minister Ze'ev Elkin on Tuesday called the decision by the EU to exclude the Jewish settlements in the West Bank from any trade agreements with Israel "worrying," and would it make difficult to hold talks with the EU on future joint agreements.
Haaretz reported earlier in the day that the EU has published a binding directive to all of its member states forbidding any funding cooperation, awarding of scholarships, research funds or prizes to anyone residing in the Jewish settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
Other right-wing MKs expressed outrage at the EU's decision while the left called for the government to heed the warning in the EU's actions.
"This is a decision marked with racism and discrimination against the Jewish People that is reminiscent of boycotts against Jews from over 66 years ago," Housing and Construction Minister Uri Ariel said.
Knesset Finance Committee chairman Nissan Slomianksy, also of the Bayit Yehudi, pointed out that "the Middle East is on fire and thousands of people are killed each month," and recommended the EU deal with the real problems in the region.
"Meanwhile, we'll continue building and developing," Slomiansky said.
Also see:
Even after US sources affirmed that Israel was the one behind the bombing of the Yakhont missile stockpile in Latkia, Syria, the whole story behind the attack on the anti-ship cruise missiles remains murky.
Monday evening, Lebanese channel MTV reported that Israel had bombed the advanced land-to-sea missiles, which had been transferred from Russia to President Bashar Assad, only after it made sure that no Russian experts were on-site.
Three mortar shells exploded on the Israeli side of the border fence with Syria on the Golan Heights Tuesday morning. No casualties or damage were reported from the incident, and there are currently no special security instructions for residents of the area.
The fighting along the Israeli border has increased in recent days, especially in the villages across the border from the northern Golan area.
The incident marks the second time this week that mortar shells fired in the context of battles in Syria landed on the Israeli side of the border. The previous incident, on Sunday night, also caused no damage or casualties.
The IDF has been expanding its forces on the Golan Heights in recent years, an effort that has included the construction of a more advanced border fence and the deployment of additional intelligence-gathering capabilities and ground forces.
The army also recently announced it would station a new unit to guard the border with Syria.
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