EU confirms ‘strong opposition’ to Israel’s settlement policy

BRUSSELS (AA) – The European Union has reiterated its “strong opposition” to Israel’s settlement policy and support for the two-state solution at the meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council.

Chaired by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Intelligence Minister Elazar Stern, the high-level meeting between the EU and Israel took place after 10 years of break.

The EU delegation reiterated “its strong opposition to Israel’s settlement policy and activities, including in and around East Jerusalem,” the bloc said in a statement issued after the talks.

The EU delegation also warned that Israeli authorities should exercise “maximum efforts” to avoid putting children in harm’s way, and called for a “thorough investigation” of the circumstances leading to the death of Al Jazeera’s journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, according to the statement.

Borrell also appreciated that Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid showed “clear support” for the two-state solution at the opening session of the UN General Assembly in September.

During the talks, the EU delegation said it is of “utmost importance to restore a political horizon towards a two-state solution.”

They stressed that the bloc “strongly opposes all actions that undermine the viability of the two-state solution,” urging both the Israeli and Palestinian sides to move towards genuine negotiations.