After eight years of freeze: More than 100 EU MPs called on Commissioner Borel to hold dialogue with Israel "due to Corona and Middle East tension"

During an unprecedented, over 100 EU and Israeli parliamentarians sent a joint letter to EU High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Defense, Joseph Burrell, urging the EU to resume the EU-Israel dialogue as soon as it was frozen eight years ago in protest Israel's policy towards the Palestinians and the stalemate in the peace process.

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

The signatories are calling on Borel to take immediate steps to resume the activities of the Joint Union and Israel Association for the 25th anniversary of its establishment next month. The letter states that the recent Knesset elections and the establishment of a new government in Israel represent an opportunity to renew the political dialogue between the two parties at the highest level.

The Association Agreement is a framework of union work with Israel in various fields. The signatories express their concern that the Association Council was not convened despite the urgent challenges at stake and significant common interests.

"We see with concern that the framework for joint activity with Israel was not aligned with the new European Neighborhood Policy Principles released in 2015, while the EU at that time promoted relations with Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia," the parliamentarians wrote. "The resumption of dialogue and consultations between the Union and Israel is needed due to the new challenges such as the Corona epidemic, the dangerous tensions that are continuing in the Middle East and the strengthening of anti-Semitism in Europe."

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The letter, initiated by the head of the Israeli Friendship Association in the European Parliament, signed dozens of members from various European and national parliaments in France, Spain, Germany, the Czech Republic, Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Hungary, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and Poland.

In Israel, the letter was signed by Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Zvi Hauser of "Derech Eretz", Deputy Speaker of Knesset Sharan Hachayal and MK Gideon Sa'ar of Likud, Opposition Chairman Yair Lapid and Knesset Member Karin Elahar, Miki Levy and Elazar Stern Mish Future-Telem, MK Nitzan Horowitz of Meretz and Mavi Michaeli of the Labor Party.