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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Last update - 10:54 23/04/2009
Netanyahu's Mideast policy damaging EU ties
By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: benjamin netanyahu, EU 

The foreign policy of the Netanyahu government, which deems unacceptable the two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict as an outline for negotiations with the Palestinians, has damaged Israel's relations with the European Union.

The Anapolis conference in late 2007, which set the outline of the two-state solution, made it possible for Israel to strengthen its ties with Europe. The main expression of the closer ties has been the forging of agreements to hold summits with European heads of state and foreign ministers, and for Israel to participate in programs and agencies of the European Union.

However, an internal Foreign Ministry document last week stated that following Operation Cast Lead, diplomatic bodies in a number of European countries have called for a freeze on the upgrade, citing the pressure of domestic public opinion. Four European states have already said that if Israel did not agree to a two-state solution, they would oppose upgrading relations.
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Under such circumstances, the upgrade would have to be shelved since a unanimous vote is required to implement it.

The deputy director general of the Swedish Foreign Ministry, Robert Rydberg, who visited Israel ahead of his country's assuming the rotating EU presidency in July, was told by the new deputy foreign minister Dan Ayalon that Jerusalem is reassessing its peace policy. Rydberg responded that if so, the upgrade of relations would be frozen. Rydberg told Ayalon that a European decision on strengthening ties with Israel would be examined in the context of the implementation of a two-state solution.

A senior Foreign Ministry official who is very familiar with Israel's relations with Europe said that Europe is also an important player vis-a vis-Iran, and that Israel's national security was guaranteed "first of all [by] us, then the United States, and the third leg is Europe. We have been in the midst of a flourishing security and diplomatic dialogue and in recent years relations of trust have developed as with the Americans," the official said.

The Foreign Ministry denies that Israel's relations with Europe are in danger. "Jerusalem has not received official messages warning that the upgrade might be prevented, although European officials have privately expressed their support for the peace process."

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      1.   More European blackmail 03:17  |  Frank 23/04/09
      2.   "2 State" is an empty phrase anyway 04:09  |  dave 23/04/09
      3.   The EU froze ties because of the gaza war nothing to do with Bibi 04:13  |  Mike 23/04/09
      4.   Unemployment In Europe 05:04  |  crlman 23/04/09
      5.   On the road to isolation 06:40  |  Otto Rand 23/04/09
      6.   If the third leg of Israel`s security is Europe, look out below 06:46  |  IW 23/04/09
      7.   Logic 07:20  |  leo 23/04/09
      8.   I sure miss Olmert 07:23  |  Northern 23/04/09
      9.   Netanyahu not against 2 state solution 08:31  |  Mark 23/04/09
      10.   time to make another "Exodus" movie 08:32  |  Capt Ahab 23/04/09
      11.   EU ties damaged 08:37  |  DT 23/04/09
      12.   Better To Have Our Country Tan Ties With Europe 08:38  |  JM 23/04/09
      13.   # 1 problem is dave, that the alternative IS "one state" 08:39  |  eric 23/04/09
      14.   Otto Rand ignorant or ill willed? 10:29  |  x-ray 23/04/09
      15.   Obvious subject and Israel coming soon to grief. 10:31  |  S 23/04/09
      16.   Akiva - you are assumming that bibi opposes a 2 state solution 10:34  |  Dr Eric 23/04/09
      17.   What does Israel want? 10:37  |  Manny Goldstein 23/04/09
      18.   chasing after europe 10:46  |  sven nordegren 23/04/09
      19.   It is high time the EU demanded of the Arabs what they demand of 11:08  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 23/04/09
      20.   EU policies threatening peace and security 11:09  |  Joe Sittizen 23/04/09
      21.   BIBI`S SELF DESTRUCTION 11:43  |  indrajaya 23/04/09
      22.   Two states 4 two peoples: Israel 4 the Jews, EU 4 the palest 11:46  |  s.gil 23/04/09
      23.   The EU and Israel. 12:07  |  Stephen. 23/04/09
      24.   Neo: "Oh. Upgrades." 12:18  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 23/04/09
      25.   All agreements so far, since 1993, demanded of the Arabs to cease 12:25  |  Jehudah Ben-Israel 23/04/09
      26.   Israel is right 13:07  |  Murray 23/04/09
      27.   16~ And what will happen to Gaza & Hamas please ? Thanks ! 13:08  |  Akram Zekaria 23/04/09
      28.   It`s interesting that sometimes posts are heavily censored and 13:22  |  Jane 23/04/09
      29.   It`s amusing to see the EU hatred 13:54  |  Paulo Priapnik 23/04/09
      30.   To paraphrease Barak: It takes 2 states to Tango!!!! 14:03  |  Tom Lobo Meyer 23/04/09
      31.   What No more foie gras? 14:07  |  Baruch Gold 23/04/09
      32.   Damaging EU ties? 14:30  |  Brod 23/04/09
      33.   Rantings of Otto Rand,as if he didn`t know pals 14:34  |  Absolute Sweden 23/04/09
      34.   Basque have also claim to their own state,lets exclude Spain 14:42  |  Absolute Sweden 23/04/09
      35.   Better to be free of Islamization than tied to Europe 15:40  |  Jane 23/04/09
      36.   Once talks begin, the perspective will change. 15:58  |  Stephen. 23/04/09
      37.   All Will Materialize After Bibi`s Visit to US - Condemnation + 16:03  |  Monitor 23/04/09
      38.   UN Security Council Resolution 242 does not call for 2 states!!! 16:42  |  Jehudah 23/04/09
      39.   To Paolo/ EU hatred 16:52  |  Anne 23/04/09
      40.   This Is Pointless 16:54  |  Yaakov Sullivan 23/04/09
      41.   Good to go! 17:23  |  rial 23/04/09
      42.   N State Solution 17:57  |  Eclectic Cynic 23/04/09
      43.   The EU is nothing but an arrogant group of states, but that has 18:06  |  Rami 23/04/09
      44.   Eldar is pathetic. Israel decides Israeli policy. Not the E.U. 18:23  |  Chaim 23/04/09
      45.   EU 19:32  |  Al 23/04/09
      46.   16~ Dr eric no reply to my post 27 ! 19:40  |  Akram Zekaria 23/04/09
      47.   Fair weathered friends cannot be classified allies 19:42  |  Jess 23/04/09
      48.   WWII allies more moral than Zionists 19:47  |  Don 23/04/09
      49.   # 18 sven 19:53  |  Axel 23/04/09
      50.   We don`t want membership in the EU !!! 20:34  |  Jew 23/04/09
      51.   # 50 jew 21:00  |  Axel 23/04/09
      52.   EU & Israel`s loss 21:22  |  jennifer 23/04/09
      53.   United Nations Security Council 242 that is the basis for 21:37  |  Margaret 23/04/09
      54.   Arab League actions burried Any arab credibility 22:05  |  Joseph.E 23/04/09
      55.   Do you want to Remember or do you want to learn ? 22:33  |  Joseph.E 23/04/09
      56.   Accept 22:43  |  RobertS 23/04/09
      57.   Accept 22:44  |  RobertS 23/04/09
      58.   55~ Joseph E Thank you for making me remember & learn. 03:09  |  Akram Zekaria 24/04/09
      59.   #1Frank, This is no blackmail but facts 19:41  |  Danielle 24/04/09
      60.   # 2 dave.May B Israel should ask san francisco 19:43  |  Josh 24/04/09
      61.   x-ray: no, in 1948 the Arab states took sides in a civil war... 20:52  |  AT 24/04/09
      62.   Gaza Op main reason for freeze 12:03  |  Ilan 26/04/09
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