While the hostile bloc of Israel, led by Ireland, Sweden and Luxembourg, calls for "precautionary measures" even before the sovereignty is applied to the US, the German foreign minister has made clear: "Annexation would be a violation of international law, but it should not be compared to the annexation of Crimea by Russia, ”which led to sanctions against her

Difficult disagreements between European foreign ministers on the initiative of some EU member states to impose sanctions if the sovereignty over territories in Judea and Samaria is applied Penalties as the EU used towards Russia after the annexation of the Crimea in 2014, German Foreign Minister Haiku Maas made it clear that his country would take over the EU's EU presidency this summer because there is no comparison between an Israeli operation in the West Bank and the annexation of Crimea.

EU foreign ministers discuss sanctions on Israel // Photo: Reuters

The German minister, however, made it clear that applying Israeli sovereignty in these areas would be a violation of international law. European Commissioner for Foreign Affairs, Joseph Borel, made clear to him after the European Foreign Ministers meeting yesterday (Friday), during which the future European response to sovereignty from Israel was debated, because the EU could not selectively back up international law, but stressed that the Crimea was The territory of a sovereign state, the United Nations. As is well known, the Palestinian Authority is not a state and has only a United Nations observer status.

More on:

Intention in Israel ahead of the EU Foreign Ministers meeting

The EU has condemned incitement in the Palestinian education system

Union Against Israel: "Penalties for Sovereignty"

The EU is trampling on the law - claiming diplomatic immunity 

Borel made it clear at the end of the European Foreign Ministers meeting that the Union would not take "preventive punishment" against Israel before sovereignty was applied. "We will not advance the events," he clarified. The Spanish commissioner stressed that the EU would launch a diplomatic offensive to persuade Israel to refrain from taking unilateral measures, which would violate international law and hamper the chances of securing an agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

This diplomatic offensive, according to Borel, will be used "in all the pipes available to the Union and its member states. The EU is a diplomatic force, we must work to prevent any annexation initiative. Everyone agrees that we must step up efforts and contacts with the main players in the Middle East to prevent the unification of something we are not interested in. In the coming days, we will use all our diplomatic capabilities to prevent unilateral measures. "

Borel made it clear that the Europeans intended to turn to Israel, the Palestinians, the United States and the Arab countries as part of their diplomatic offensive, which applied sovereignty. He noted that the EU expects to work fully and constructively with the new Israeli government, following its inauguration.

Borel added that a number of proposals were presented to European foreign ministers with different approaches to European response to the Israeli move. Key disagreements were between the host countries in Israel - Luxembourg, Ireland and Sweden, which had already taken steps against Israel. Among the ideas that arose in this context was the Luxembourg Foreign Minister's initiative for a pan-European recognition of a Palestinian state.

On the other hand, the Israel-friendly bloc, which includes Germany, wants to avoid taking "preventive punishment" and concentrate on diplomatic pressure to prevent an Israeli move to apply sovereignty. "We are in dialogue with the responsible parties, including Israel," said Foreign Minister Maas. "We have always made it clear that we are committed to the goal of a two-state solution, which will be achieved through negotiations and we believe that annexes are not in line with international law."