EU Voices Concern over Fate of Palestinians

Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell affirmed that the EU remained concerned over the situation in Israeli and Palestinian lands.

"On the contrary, the number of settlements has increased a lot, and the Two-State solution needs a stronger effort. If we really want a Two-State solution, everybody has to support it in practical terms," he said.

"For us, Europeans, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is very important. It is in our neighborhood. And we see how it is deteriorating every day. We are very much concerned for the fate of the Palestinian people and for the effect that this conflict has also on the security of Israel."

Borrell made his marks during a press conference held on Monday after the ‘Peace Day Effort’ Ministerial-level meeting in New York.

He continued: "I think we have had a very good meeting, co-organized with the Foreign Ministers of Egypt Sameh Shoukry, Jordan Ayman Safadi, Saudi Arabia Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud, and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States Ahmed Aboul Gheit."

Speaking to Arab and international media representatives, Borrell said: "You know that these days, it is the 30 years since the Oslo Agreements. And in the last 30 years after the Oslo Agreements, we cannot say that we are closer to peace between Israel and Palestine."

He also noted that the EU has strong ties with the region, saying: "I cannot repeat it but historically, economically, personally, we - as Europeans - have a clear interest in the Middle East Peace Process, and also a responsibility for that."

"That is why, together with my Arab friends, from the League of Arab States and some Arab countries – I mentioned them before, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt - we launched this process ["Peace Day Effort"]. We launched the process of trying to imagine what peace would look like," he explained.

Borrell added that they also have launched three senior-level Working Groups that will be concretely elaborating on bilateral, regional, and global approaches.

"We will try to catalyze all international efforts to work for peace. If everybody that has been saying here today that they support the Two-State solution, if everybody was really engaged in supporting this Two-State solution, the solution would be there already," he pointed out.