The European Union is increasing its pressure on Israel to accept a two-state solution as the only way to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians in a lasting way. To this end, it already has a formal proposal for a “comprehensive” peace plan that has the creation of a Palestinian State alongside the Israeli one as a non-negotiable element. The pressure is led by countries such as Spain and Belgium, which on Monday even demanded an “immediate” ceasefire both in its name and in that of the EU Council that it presides over this semester, despite the fact that the official position of the Twenty-seven, before The refusal of countries like Germany or Austria to go further is limited to asking for “humanitarian pauses.”
At the meeting, however, it was clear that more and more Member States, such as Italy and France, openly consider the overwhelming numbers of dead Palestinian civilians, which now exceed 25,000, to be openly intolerable. In a ministerial debate convened this Tuesday at the UN Security Council, the French presidency also proposes “moving towards a political, security and humanitarian solution to the crisis and opening a lasting ceasefire.”
“More deaths, more destruction will not help defeat Hamas and its ideology, they will not bring more security to Israel. “That is why we must redouble our international efforts to move from this deadly confrontation to a solution,” warned the senior foreign policy official, Josep Borrell, at the end of the meeting held on Monday in Brussels, in which he asked to stop talking about peace process in general and specifically calls for a “two-state solution.” “Which is what we’re really trying to achieve,” he added.
In their first meeting of the year, the heads of European diplomacy discussed with their Israeli counterparts, Israel Katz, and – separately – with the Palestinian, Riyad al Maliki, as well as with key representatives of the region – Egypt, Jordan, Arabia Saudi Arabia and the Arab League—the way to articulate a peace process for which Borrell proposes the holding of a “preparatory” peace conference that would lay the foundations for a definitive negotiation of a two-state solution.
The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, celebrated this idea which, as he recalled, the Government already managed to have it become an initiative of the Twenty-Seven at the European Council at the end of October. Both Spain and Belgium have expressed their willingness to host this future conference, for which, however, no one yet dares to set a date.
“The EU and the international community as a whole support the idea of two states and it is time to start talking about the implementation of a realistic and viable Palestinian state – under a Palestinian Authority, with a corridor, access to the sea and capital in East Jerusalem — that coexists with Israel and that both guarantee peace and security,” said Albares. “Palestinians and Israelis have exactly the same right to peace and security,” he added, while emphasizing that it is a solution that is also in favor of the peace and stability “of Israel and the entire Middle East.”
The head of Spanish diplomacy also demanded an “immediate” ceasefire, “unconditional” access for humanitarian aid to Gaza, the “unconditional and immediate” release of the Hamas hostages and the delivery of the funds held to the Palestinian National Authority, beyond the creation of its own Palestinian State as “the only guarantee of what we all agree on: that peace will return.” Spain will maintain “its economic, diplomatic and humanitarian support so that all this is possible,” he added at a press conference.
An example of the difficulty of this peace process with the two-state solution on the horizon is the position of the Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, who, as Borrell revealed, ignored the ministers who demanded the recognition of a Palestinian State. and they pressured him about the terrible humanitarian situation in Gaza. Katz limited himself to “presenting a couple of videos [sobre una isla artificial frente a Gaza y un proyecto de ferrocarril] that had little or nothing to do with the issue we were discussing (…). He could have made better use of his time,” lamented the head of European diplomacy.
Sanctions
Meanwhile, Palestinian Minister Al Maliki asked the Twenty-Seven to go further and “sanction” those who, like the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, refuse to accept a Palestinian State as the key to peace. “I expect you to start considering sanctions against Netanyahu and others who are really destroying the chances of the two-state solution and peace in the Middle East,” Al Maliki said.
The Israeli Government’s rejection of the creation of a Palestinian State is “unacceptable,” several European ministers agreed in their first formal meeting of the year in Brussels. The EU has not yet managed, as Borrell repeatedly regretted, to speak with a single voice in the face of the new outbreak of war in the Middle East. The sample, he recalled again on Monday, is the last vote in the United Nations, in mid-December, on a resolution to call for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire”, which received the vote in favor of 17 EU members, including them Spain, Ireland, Belgium or Luxembourg, against 8 abstentions and 2 votes against: Austria and the Czech Republic which, together with Germany and Hungary, remain the most reluctant to openly criticize Israel.
What everyone does agree on is that any possibility of peace in the future requires a two-state solution, whatever the current Israeli Government says. To work towards this, and in the process increase pressure on Israel, the Twenty-Seven already have in their hands a 12-point peace plan presented by Borrell, which insists on the need to start “preparing now, in view of the current situation.” and despite the obvious difficulties and uncertainties, a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian peace plan” with a solution of two States that “live side by side, in peace and security.” And he urges to work on it as soon as possible, even if the parties are not yet willing to sit at the same negotiating table, since the “absence” of a vision of this type will only “prolong the current violence and prepare the ground for greater radicalization and new conflicts” which, beyond its implications in the area, also constitutes a “great security, political and migratory risk for the region and for Europe,” the document warns.
“The international community, and Europeans in particular, have the moral obligation to seek a solution,” Borrell defended his initiative. “If Israel does not want that solution, it will be difficult for it to participate in the talks, but that should not prevent the rest of us from doing so,” he added.
After the Twenty-Seven approved on Friday a framework of sanctions for those who finance Hamas, in Monday’s session they discussed the sanctions against violent settlers in the West Bank not yet approved, although Borrell assured that work continues on it and expressed confidence in a upcoming agreement.
The ministers also discussed the proposal of a mission in the Red Sea to protect navigation but, although there are more and more countries willing to participate in it – Italy confirmed in Brussels that it is considering sending a ship, as are Belgium or Germany, among others —, the final decision will be made at the next meeting of the heads of European diplomacy, in mid-February. Although no one formally opposed the mission, Albares reiterated that “Spain’s participation is not foreseen” in it.
Borrell’s 12 steps
Start a peace process
1. Launch of an initiative that addresses the future security of Israelis and Palestinians, the stabilization of the occupied territories and the recovery and governance of Gaza.
2. Type of peace model: Commitment to the two-state solution over other formulas; another mechanism would be perceived as a prolongation of the occupation in Gaza and the absence of peace will prolong the violence.
Search partners
3. An independent Palestinian state living in peace with Israel will also have positive consequences on the Israeli-Lebanese and Israeli-Syrian conflicts.
4. Partners and neighbors of Israelis and Palestinians, such as the EU, must help them achieve peace because neither side is now prepared to negotiate directly.
Celebrate the Preparatory Peace Conference
5. Organize the Preparatory Peace Conference between the EU, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the League of Arab States to address the Gaza war, but above all the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
6. At the conference, foreign ministers and heads of participating international organizations must meet separately with each of the conflicting parties so that work begins even if they do not want to sit together.
7. Subsequently, present an initial draft framework for a peace plan, develop it and prepare an agenda to complete it within one year, through working groups.
Develop a peace plan
8. The plan must set out the central elements of an Israeli-Palestinian peace, respecting the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and building on previous peace negotiations.
9. The plan must ensure security for Israel and the future independent State of Palestine and establish what political and security mechanisms and what other agreements and projects will be put in place when peace is achieved.
Engage the parties in conflict
10. Consult the parties in conflict every step of the development of the peace plan, although the work will also continue at times when any of them are not willing to commit.
11. Present the plan to the parties so that they can negotiate the final text. States and organizations must state the consequences they foresee whether the parties commit to the plan or not.
Parallel efforts
12. While the peace plan is developed, work for the entry of humanitarian aid, the release of the hostages, avoid a regional escalation, and facilitate the recovery of Gaza and the affected communities in Israel, among others.
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