The EU Will Toughen Up Against Israel

It is always former heads of states that adopt a tough stance against israel once they leave office. However, this is a group of former heads of EU states asking the union to adopt a consequentialist approach with Israel refusing any future upgrade in Israel-EU relations unless there is a total freeze in settlements.

• Put forward a plan to resolve the conflict, including a clear time frame, together with the US, UN, Russia, and Arab League.
• Reiterate its position that it will not recognise any changes to the June 1967 boundaries [of Israel], that a Palestinian state should be "territory equivalent to 100% of the territory occupied in 1967", and that its capital should be East Jerusalem.
• Refuse to upgrade ties with Israel unless settlements are frozen. "The EU has always maintained that settlements are illegal, but has not attached any consequences for continued and systematic settlement expansion."
• Bring an end to the import of settlement products "which are, in contradiction with EU labelling recommendations, marketed as originating in Israel".
• Send a high-level delegation, including Lady Ashton, to East Jerusalem "as a matter of urgency to draw attention to the erosion of the Palestinian presence there, and report back to the EU with an agenda of proposals to arrest and reverse the deterioration of the situation on the ground". The situation in East Jerusalem, it says, is the "most critical flashpoint and greatest threat" to a peace deal.

A web initiative to support a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state now !

Please read this and sign for support in the comment section.

Palestinians looking for UN support to unilaterally declare state within 1967 borders

And Jerusalem for Capital.
This is excellent news. After years of dithering and bending to USrael's demands and conditions, the PA is retaking the initiative. Any respectable government will not refuse its support to this initiative which is in line with UN resolutions. I applaud the initiative and hope that the PA will be consistent in pursuing and implementing it.

Read here the early reactions...

UPDATE: somehow, as expected from Fatah and the PA, they seem to be cowing back...A pity...They don't need anybody to declare unilaterally a state of their own. Is Israel asking for permission to build settlements ?