The opening lines of a famous Christmas carol asks, “Said the night wind to the little lamb, do you see what I see? Way up in the sky, little lamb, do you see what I see?”
After reading news out of the EU concerning Israel, I feel like anyone with understanding of what’s really at stake should be asking the question of others, “Do you see what I see?” What am I referring to?
Following the U.S. recognition in November of the legality of Israel's West Bank settlements, Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn is advancing an initiative calling for the European Union to recognize a Palestinian state.
In a letter to the E.U.'s new foreign-affairs representative, Josep Borrell, and to the 27 E.U. foreign ministers, he argues that the only way to rescue the two-state solution is to create a "more equitable situation" policy-wise between Israel and the Palestinians. Ironically, he states that such a move would not be anti-Israel.
"In no way would it [such steps] be directed against Israel. Indeed, if we want to contribute to solving the conflict between Israel and Palestine, we must never lose sight of Israel's security conditions, as well as of justice and dignity for the Palestinian people," he wrote in the letter.
A debate on the issue is scheduled to be held at the meeting of European foreign ministers in January.
According to officials in Jerusalem, Israel's Foreign Ministry is preparing to thwart Luxembourg's new initiative. Regardless of the ultimate outcome, however, the Palestinians are encouraged by this new European direction.
The Palestinians have been demanding for years that the European Union as a body take practical steps towards the recognition of a Palestinian state. Already, more than 135 countries in the world, including Russia, China, and Arab and Muslim countries, already recognize a Palestinian state.
The Palestinians support Asselborn's initiative is an important step to undermine President Donald Trump's Mideast peace plan, soon to be release. The complex political situation in Israel is delaying Trump's Mideast peace plan, but Israeli politicians are also trying to further the process of annexing the Jordan Valley, a move backed by the Trump administration.
Jordanian King Abdullah recently sent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a communiqué saying that Israeli annexation of the Jordan Valley would result in Jordan suspending its peace treaty with Israel. Israel, however, points out that the Oslo Accords did not recognize the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and did not stipulate that settlement activity should be stopped. Therefore, the fact that the PLO signed it requires them to abide by it in its entirety.
Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip as a good-faith step and received in return for its sacrifice an independent terrorist-controlled entity. Israel will note repeat the same mistake in any future agreement.
While the world celebrates the Christmas season with the promise of “peace on earth; goodwill towards all men”—the Middle East remains a tinder box ready to explode. And while most people will be watching to what they might find under a Christmas tree, I’ll be watching to see if the EU will try to flex its political muscle against the state of Israel—the birthplace of the Prince of Peace!
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