Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asborne is behind the European initiative to counteract sovereignty in Judea and Samaria • In an interview with Israel Today, he compares Israel's intentions with the annexation of the Crimea and warns: "This is a blatant violation of international law" • Palestinians: "Internal reconciliation needs to be encouraged"

• Asborne. Veteran Union Foreign Minister

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  IP

Jean Aslborn, (71) Luxembourg's foreign minister - a small princess of 600,000 inhabitants in the heart of Europe - is currently the biggest headache of Israeli diplomacy. In an interview with "Israel Today," Asborne sends a harsh message to Israel against applying sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.

A veteran of the EU's foreign ministers (who will serve 16 years in office this summer), who is behind the European initiative to thwart the Israeli sovereignty program on the Jordan Valley and Judea and Samaria. He is working to promote a rigid line for Israel's Foreign Ministers Council and examine options Of imposing sanctions on it if it implements the sovereignty application program in Judea and Samaria. Opposition by Israel's friendship with the Union - most notably Hungary and Austria - has prevented Luxembourg's foreign minister from accepting proposals.

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

"Anti-annexation, in principle"

Asborne is an indefatigable fighter for the rights of the Palestinians and seizes every opportunity he can to protect them. In an interview with "Israel Today", Aslborne adopts the diplomatic line Brussels has adopted toward the new Israeli government: avoiding direct threats, but conveying messages intended to make it clear to Israel that applying sovereignty will hurt relations with its main commercial partner today: Europe. 

After more than 500 days, Israel has a new government expected to implement President Trump's peace plan. How about this program? Is it an opportunity to renew the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?

"It is not interesting to comment on the details of the plan presented by Mr. Trump. I should mention only two things: First, this program is moving away from recognized international parameters. Secondly, the Palestinian Authority was not consulted when formulating this plan. It is not possible to make a decision on the future of a people. Without being represented at the negotiating table. This would be a repetition of the Sykes-Picot approach (the British-French agreement to divide the Middle East after the first BCE; AB). 

"The solution should be based on respect for international law, the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and the UN Security Council, and the agreed international parameters."

Diplomatic press extruder

Why are you so opposed to applying Israeli sovereignty to certain territories in the West Bank?

"Firstly, I fear that annexation would be a fatal blow to the two-state solution. It could lead to the formation of a single state, constituting an everlasting inequality of rights and conflict. "I objected to the illegal annexation of the Crimea by Russia in 2014. The annexation will contribute to the dismantling of the world order, based on a set of laws we built after World War II."

Should Israel decide to declare its sovereignty over West Bank territory, will the EU respond with sanctions? And if so, which ones?

"It is too early to talk about sanctions. We hope there will be no annexation and we work with our full diplomatic vigor to avoid annexation of occupied Palestinian territories. We are building on prevention."

"A friend of both parties"

You are very committed, personally, to protecting Palestinian rights. Don't you think the Palestinians have a great responsibility for their current situation?

"I am a friend of both the Palestinians and of Israel, and I believe that friends should say this clearly. In this spirit, I regularly use the exchange of views with PA representatives to encourage them to organize elections so that the process of intra-Palestinian reconciliation can continue." .

About a month ago, the EU delegate to the Palestinian Authority was furious when he sent a letter to Palestinian officials disavowing the EU's restrictions on funding organizations linked in some way to terrorist activities. European MPs demanded an investigation into the representative, a German diplomat. I ask Asborne if he supports the immediate and complete cessation of European financial support for Palestinian terrorist organizations. "The EU does not support terrorist-related organizations," he replies briefly.

When will you start a dialogue with your new Israeli counterpart? I ask to finish.

"Israel is an important member and partner of the EU as a whole and of Luxembourg in particular. I would love to contact my new Israeli counterparts - Gabi Ashkenazi - as soon as possible."