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Last update - 04:41 09/12/2008
EU votes to upgrade Israel relations despite Arab lobbying
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Palestinian Authority, Egypt 

The European Union's 27 foreign ministers unanimously approved upgrading relations with Israel on Monday, despite vigorous efforts by the Palestinian Authority and Egypt to thwart the move.

The first expression of this decision will be a first-of-its-kind meeting between Israel's prime minister and all the leaders of the EU member states in Brussels this April.

Separately, the ministers decided to shelve a proposed action plan for the peace process in 2009, in response to Israeli pressure.
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Throughout some 18 months of talks on the upgraded relationship, Egypt, the PA and other Arab countries lobbied against it. At the least, the Arabs argued, the upgrade should be conditioned on an Israeli settlement freeze.

Last month, PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad personally raised the issue with several European foreign ministers, and as a result, at least five countries - including Britain, Belgium, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta - said they would not sign the upgrade agreement unless it were linked to progress in Israeli-Palestinian final-status negotiations. That threatened to derail the entire agreement.

Last week, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni traveled to Brussels to do her own lobbying with the EU foreign ministers, first and foremost Bernard Kouchner of France, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency. At one point, she asked everyone else in the room to leave so that she could speak with Kouchner privately. During that conversation, the two agreed that there would be no linkage, but the EU would issue a separate statement stressing the need to continue the final-status talks.

The two also agreed that the EU would not officially adopt the action plan for the peace process, which France had formulated, but would instead leave it as a mere proposal. The plan, first reported in Haaretz last week, stated that the EU would, inter alia, press Israel to reopen Orient House, the PA's former headquarters in East Jerusalem.

As a result of the upgrade in relations, Israel's foreign minister will start meeting three times a year with all 27 EU foreign ministers. Other ministers will meet once a year with their European counterparts. Israel and the EU will also conduct a strategic dialogue on issues such as the peace process, the Iranian threat, counterterrorism and organized crime. In addition, the EU pledged to help Israel integrate into UN agencies and to include Israeli experts in EU peacekeeping forces.

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      1.   The EU doesn`t count for nought but ... 06:25  |  Aussie Michael 09/12/08
      2.   History 06:45  |  om 09/12/08
      3.   History 07:52  |  mo 09/12/08
      4.   I`d LOVE Israel to be part of the EU 09:04  |  Clickfool 09/12/08
      5.   Om or Mo - silly either way 09:30  |  Aussie Michael 09/12/08
      6.   Long Overdue Move by The EU 09:32  |  Khaled 09/12/08
      7.   Om or mo, whatever... 09:36  |  Michael D. 09/12/08
      8.   EU`s Double Standard 09:39  |  Milo 09/12/08
      9.   Vicious, anti-semitic Eurabia`s at it again! 10:10  |  Michael 09/12/08
      10.   to Clickfool What undisputable violations are you talking? 10:24  |  CM 09/12/08
      11.   Michael - voluntarily joininng the Third Reich? 10:25  |  Palestinian Brit 09/12/08
      12.   excellent news 10:34  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/12/08
      13.   Aussie Michael`s confused. Let me explain about EU and ME. 10:35  |  Michael 09/12/08
      14.   To No. 11 - Arab Loser 10:39  |  Khaled 09/12/08
      15.   For the ridiculous CM # 10 10:45  |  Clickfool 09/12/08
      16.   I`m glad 10:45  |  me 09/12/08
      17.   Eastern Europe is now as pro-Israel as it once was anti-semitic. 10:56  |  Michael 09/12/08
      18.   to Clickfool sloppy response 11:01  |  CM 09/12/08
      19.   To CJK 11:17  |  Guido 09/12/08
      20.   So, where are all those who fool themselves into believing... 11:18  |  tristan 09/12/08
      21.   #19, Guido, no 11:49  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/12/08
      22.   #20. Tristan 11:52  |  Frank 09/12/08
      23.   # 17 Michael, I`m not really sure whether there is such an.... 11:55  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/12/08
      24.   For CM again # 18 11:59  |  Clickfool 09/12/08
      25.   #5 Aussie Michael. Facts please. 12:03  |  Frank 09/12/08
      26.   Guido re: Cipora 12:08  |  TonyL 09/12/08
      27.   Clickfool - The UK can see itself there first... Lets disuss 12:13  |  Ben 09/12/08
      28.   Clickfool and his Ignorance of the EU 12:16  |  Gerald 09/12/08
      29.   #22 Frank 12:26  |  tristan 09/12/08
      30.   to #27 and #28 12:28  |  Frank 09/12/08
      31.   Unpleasant region 12:31  |  Peter 09/12/08
      32.   Michael UK 12:32  |  lady from USA 09/12/08
      33.   "Upgrading" is something else than agreeing to talk and disagree 12:39  |  A Feig 09/12/08
      34.   Swiss Dino 23 13:17  |  Michael 09/12/08
      35.   Europe`s conscience? 13:27  |  Palestinian 09/12/08
      36.   Cipora #12...yes you`re right... Tsipi`s work as FM 13:27  |  Esther 09/12/08
      37.   to Clickfool you are dismissiv of Israel courts 13:43  |  CM 09/12/08
      38.   Frank 13:51  |  x-ray 09/12/08
      39.   It is all about values 13:52  |  El_Justiciero 09/12/08
      40.   # 37 AMEN! Brilliant response. 14:01  |  Petra 09/12/08
      41.   x-ray 14:06  |  Frank 09/12/08
      42.   UNAMIMOUS, BBS, UNANIMOUS 14:15  |  Brant 09/12/08
      43.   Frank, Frank... 14:17  |  El_Justiciero 09/12/08
      44.   What Haaretz doesn`t mention 14:40  |  Murray 09/12/08
      45.   and by the way 14:44  |  Murray 09/12/08
      46.   GERALD, 28: RE CLICKFOOL 14:50  |  Brant 09/12/08
      47.   Murray #44 14:51  |  Esther 09/12/08
      48.   CJK 14:56  |  Guido 09/12/08
      49.   YES, INDEED, MURRAY... 15:01  |  Brant 09/12/08
      50.   Frank , # 30 15:06  |  Charles 09/12/08
      51.   Simple facts 15:13  |  Murray 09/12/08
      52.   Frank 15:20  |  Charles 09/12/08
      53.   PALESTINIAN 35: CONSCIENCE 15:23  |  Brant 09/12/08
      54.   #35 Palestinian 15:29  |  Anna 09/12/08
      55.   Frank`s claims 15:36  |  jackie 09/12/08
      56.   EU Israel 15:37  |  dr daniel mostrel 09/12/08
      57.   Good Idea 15:45  |  Mark Lincoln 09/12/08
      58.   # 42 / # 46 BRANT, there may be no AIPAC and media bias.... 15:46  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/12/08
      59.   Murray 45 16:01  |  Charles 09/12/08
      60.   ?The Holocaust Is Over" 16:03  |  Palestinian 09/12/08
      61.   Finally! 16:11  |  utagawa 09/12/08
      62.   Frank , terrorist attacks before hamas ones 16:14  |  Charles 09/12/08
      63.   Yes 45 EU said that, it also indicated who is to blaim 16:15  |  CM 09/12/08
      64.   What`s the problem here? 16:15  |  Zev Davis 09/12/08
      65.   #2 om How about this........ 16:16  |  John Allen 09/12/08
      66.   Yes, Charles 16:21  |  Murray 09/12/08
      67.   Daniel Mostrelm-Israel is occupied 16:23  |  Algerian 09/12/08
      68.   Swiss Dino # 58 16:24  |  Charles 09/12/08
      69.   TO MAKE MUSLIMS UPSET, THAT`S ALL 16:26  |  indrajaya 09/12/08
      70.   How you twist the truth, Gerald # 28 16:29  |  Clickfool 09/12/08
      71.   For Brant # 46 16:37  |  Clickfool 09/12/08
      72.   Wow, Eurabia is actually isnt bending over to the Arabs? 17:06  |  David 09/12/08
      73.   #35, you did it to yourself and continue to 17:09  |  David 09/12/08
      74.   Charles on checkpoints. 17:22  |  Ibrahim 09/12/08
      75.   #4 to bad clicky does not comprehend the amount of Hatred the Ara 17:28  |  Big Sur 09/12/08
      76.   Clickfool # 60 17:36  |  Charles 09/12/08
      77.   If Israel is Worried is GOOD! But it must draw RIGHT Conclusion! 17:43  |  WORLD_GUARDIAN 09/12/08
      78.   Mark, don`t count on . . . 18:04  |  Zev Davis 09/12/08
      79.   Michael & DIno. what do you guys know about Eastern Europe? 18:06  |  ivo 09/12/08
      80.   Keep friends close but enemies closer? 18:08  |  Manny Goldstein 09/12/08
      81.   #53 & #54 18:18  |  Palestinian 09/12/08
      82.   Dear Clicky, I have noticed that you cannot help yourself 18:54  |  Big Sur 09/12/08
      83.   JUST SUPPOSE WE TRIED TO TELL ARAB GOVERNMENTS WHAT TO DO 19:31  |  Ian 09/12/08
      84.   Clickfool 19:48  |  Connie 09/12/08
      85.   #32 lady from USA 20:04  |  Boycott 09/12/08
      86.   Clickfool confirms his ignorance 20:05  |  Gerald 09/12/08
      87.   Swiss Dino 58 20:09  |  Charles 09/12/08
      88.   Clickfool , you contradict yourself 20:15  |  Charles 09/12/08
      89.   What a disgraceful move.... 20:54  |  Dutch 09/12/08
      90.   Dutch...your hatred blinds you 21:08  |  Dan 09/12/08
      91.   For Gerald # 66 21:19  |  Clickfool 09/12/08
      92.   #69 Dutch another next door neighbor shame on you, being a hater. 21:33  |  Big Sur 09/12/08
      93.   Dutch , 69 , illiterate ! 21:36  |  Charles 09/12/08
      94.   46 Brant, Thank You 22:15  |  Gerald 09/12/08
      95.   # 67 Charles 22:49  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/12/08
      96.   57 Mark lincoln 23:40  |  Jose Marcio 09/12/08
      97.   100 containers made of metal junk are worthless 23:57  |  Genuine Tosefta 09/12/08
      98.   Clickfool (#15) Yes H@@retz Wrote 23:58  |  Gil 09/12/08
      99.   Clickfool (#15) Yes H@@retz Wrote 23:58  |  Gil 09/12/08
      100.   CLICKFOOL (#15) Yes H@@retz Wrote 00:00  |  Gil 10/12/08
      101.   MURRAY 51: SIMPLE FACTS? 00:03  |  Brant 10/12/08
      102.   Brant, overall very good post, though I disagree 00:17  |  jj 10/12/08
      103.   It is very nice on the part of EU. I commend them 00:29  |  17 10/12/08
      104.   CLICKFOOL (#15) Yes H@@retz Wrote 00:30  |  Gil 10/12/08
      105.   CLICKFOOL (#15) Yes H@@retz Wrote 00:58  |  Gil 10/12/08
      106.   Fantastic! The EU Finally Gets Some Backbone 01:34  |  Jeff Northridge 10/12/08
      107.   Lincoln opens mouth and emits ignorance 01:47  |  SDHD 10/12/08
      108.   No free lunch? 02:01  |  Manny Goldstein 10/12/08
      109.   Wonder what Livni promised Kouchner? 02:58  |  Johnboy 10/12/08
      110.   EU has no respect to the Arab leaders 03:02  |  BIG 10/12/08
      111.   #68 Charles 04:02  |  Moshe 10/12/08
      112.   # 5 to aussie re: history 05:30  |  eric 10/12/08
      113.   this may not amount to much of a benefit for israel 05:35  |  eric 10/12/08
      114.   MICHAEL Rising Anti semitism in Europe see PEW survey 05:53  |  PETER SM 10/12/08
      115.   OM/MO.The Jewish historic homeland is Israel not Europe.. 06:05  |  PETER SM 10/12/08
      116.   Europe finally joins the civilized nations 06:16  |  utagawa 10/12/08
      117.   Quick side bet, how many more hoops do people think the EU will 07:06  |  Jacob Blues 10/12/08
      118.   Of course while people like Mark and Dino are waving their rally 07:11  |  Jacob Blues 10/12/08
      119.   What all the zionist apologists fail to recognize 07:13  |  Johnboy 10/12/08
      120.   #92 Spot on, Manny. 07:23  |  Johnboy 10/12/08
      121.   now THIS could prove interesting...LOL! 08:36  |  eric 10/12/08
      122.   #109, JB, "i don`t know" 08:40  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/12/08
      123.   For jj in Orlando # 102 09:16  |  Clickfool 10/12/08
      124.   For Cipora # 122 09:20  |  Clickfool 10/12/08
      125.   Eric, stop chepping 09:22  |  Zev Davis 10/12/08
      126.   Ibrahim , on terrorism 09:30  |  Charles 10/12/08
      127.   EU votes to upgrade Israel relations !!!! 09:44  |  Antwan Saca 10/12/08
      128.   Swiss Dino # 95 . ???? 09:57  |  Charles 10/12/08
      129.   #12,, fool, don`t count on it 10:15  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 10/12/08
      130.   # 125 to zev re: chepping 05:26  |  eric 11/12/08
      131.   Peter and Manny are awake. 14:12  |  Ben too 11/12/08
      132.   Some perspective on the EPT 23:30  |  Durendal 11/12/08
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