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According to the report, published by Ha’artz daily newspaper, Israel is expected to face “heavy pressure” from the EU over the Palestinian cause, and the EU will focus on finding a solution based on the two-state solution rather than having the parties engaged in direct peace talks.
“The understanding of the ineffectiveness of the current process with the Palestinians . . . is accompanied by repeated calls to find new channels of progress,” the report read.
“The emphasis from their perspective is not on actual direct negotiations . . . but rather on the essential need to move ahead quickly to a permanent-status solution, because the EU recognises that without a solution things could go downhill on the ground,” it said.
“European attempts to strengthen the Palestinians’ hold over the areas of their future state by continuing to challenge Israeli control on the ground in the Areas B and C,” added the report.
The report was drafted amid the wide condemnation from Europe over the retaliatory announcements of building more than 5 000 new housing units in settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
In a statement released recently against the settlement construction, the EU did not mention direct peace talks, noting that the best way is to promote the two-state solution even if neither party wants such a move.
Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians came to a halt in 2010 over the construction of settlements. — Xinhua.
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