[CS-FSLUG] Israel, Europe Could Be on Collision Course

[Jerry Van Brimmer]

On Thursday 28 October 2004 15:48, Fred Miller wrote:
> http://www.sierratimes.com/04/10/14/rt_israel.htm
> Israel, Europe Could Be on Collision Course -Report
> Reuters
>
> JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel could end up on a collision course with the
> European Union and face sanctions like apartheid-era South Africa unless
> the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, a confidential government
> report warns.
>
> The document, a 10-year forecast prepared by Israel's Foreign Ministry,
> predicts that the Jewish state could become increasingly isolated
> internationally as the EU grows more influential, political sources said.
>
> The report says that if the recently expanded 25-nation bloc can set aside
> internal differences and forge a unified foreign policy, it could "harm
> Israeli interests" by cutting into the clout wielded by the United States,
> Israel's chief ally.
>
> "This could put Israel on a collision course with the European Union," the
> report says. "Such a collision course holds the risk of Israel losing
> international legitimacy and could lead to its isolation in the manner of
> South Africa."
>
> The report, drawn up in August by Foreign Ministry analysts and meant for
> use within government circles, reflects growing Israeli worries about the
> threat of international sanctions that could turn Israel into a pariah
> state.
>
> Israel's relations with the EU have long been strained over what it sees as
> favoritism toward the Palestinians in their conflict with the Jewish state.
>
> But the situation has deteriorated further in the face of European
> criticism of Israel's military crackdown in Palestinian areas and the vast
> barrier it is building largely inside the occupied West Bank.
>
> For its part, Israel has complained of what it sees as growing
> anti-Semitism in Europe and inadequate efforts to combat it.

In light of the Bible, are we really surprised?

>
> STALLED PEACEMAKING
>
> Israel prefers to deal almost exclusively with Washington on Middle East
> diplomacy. President Bush is seen as the most pro-Israel U.S. leader ever,
> having agreed the Jewish state should be allowed to keep swathes of
> occupied land and bar the return of Palestinian refugees under any final
> peace deal.
>
> But Palestinians have always insisted on a European role, seeing them as
> more sympathetic to their cause than Washington.
>
> Prime Minister Ariel Sharon threatened in July to freeze the EU out of
> Middle East peacemaking after EU states backed a U.N. General Assembly
> resolution demanding that Israel heed a World Court ruling calling on it to
> tear down its West Bank barrier.
>
> Israel calls it a bulwark against Palestinian suicide bombers. Palestinian
> have condemned it as a "racist apartheid wall" and a land grab that denies
> them a viable state.
>
> On Wednesday, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana unveiled a four-point
> plan to revive Middle East talks, offering new assistance to the
> Palestinians and warning Israel its aid was at risk if it did not
> cooperate.
>
> But Israeli suspicions of EU intentions limit the chances of success for
> Solana's initiative. The EU is a junior member of an international
> "Quartet" of Middle East peacemakers and takes a back seat to the United
> States.
>
> Meanwhile, Palestinian leaders at the United Nations have begun pushing for
> sanctions against Israel, citing as a model the anti-apartheid boycotts
> against South Africa that began in the 1970s.
>
> But the United States, which wields a veto in the U.N. Security Council,
> has made clear that it would block any such effort.
> ___________________________
>
> Yes.....UNLESS Kerry gets elected!!!

True.

>
> Fred

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