JERUSALEM DISPUTE

EU rebuffs Netanyahu call on Jerusalem

Brussels: The EU’s diplomatic chief Monday bluntly rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s suggestion that Europe would follow the US in recognising Jerusalem as the Jewish state’s capital, saying there would be no change to its stance on the holy city,m reports AFP.

Netanyahu said the controversial announcement by US President Donald Trump—which prompted diplomatic alarm and street protests across the Islamic world—had “put facts squarely on the table”.

As he arrived for talks in Brussels, Netanyahu said he expected “all or most” European countries would follow the US—but the 28-nation bloc’s foreign policy head Federica Mogherini gave him a stern rebuff, telling him to “keep his expectations for others”.

The EU expressed alarm last week at the US decision, but Netanyahu said Trump had simply stated facts by acknowledging that Jerusalem had been the capital of the Israeli state for 70 years and of the Jewish people for 3,000 years.

“It doesn’t obviate peace, it makes peace possible, because recognising reality is the substance of peace, it’s the foundation of peace,” Netanyahu said in a statement alongside Mogherini ahead of a breakfast meeting with EU foreign ministers.

“I believe that all or most of the European countries will move their embassies to Jerusalem, recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and engage robustly with us for security, prosperity and peace,” Netanyahu said.

The Jerusalem decision upended decades of US diplomacy and broke with international consensus. Mogherini last week warned it could take the situation “backwards to even darker times”.

After nearly two hours of talks between Netanyahu and the EU ministers, Mogherini gave a flat rejection of his suggestion they could follow Trump.

 

JERUSALEM DISPUTE

EU rebuffs Netanyahu call on Jerusalem

Brussels: The EUs diplomatic chief Monday bluntly rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus suggestion that Europe would follow the US in recognising Jerusalem as the Jewish states capital, saying there would be no change to its stance on the holy city,m reports AFP. Netanyahu said the controversial announcement by US President Donald Trumpwhich prompted diplomatic alarm and street protests across the Islamic worldhad put facts squarely on the table. As he arrived for talks in Brussels, Netanyahu said he expected all or most European countries would follow the USbut the 28-nation blocs foreign policy head Federica Mogherini gave him a stern rebuff, telling him to keep his expectations for others. The EU expressed alarm last week at the US decision, but Netanyahu said Trump had simply stated facts by acknowledging that Jerusalem had been the capital of the Israeli state for 70 years and of the Jewish people for 3,000 years. It doesnt obviate peace, it makes peace possible, because recognising reality is the substance of peace, its the foundation of peace, Netanyahu said in a statement alongside Mogherini ahead of a breakfast meeting with EU foreign ministers. I believe that all or most of the European countries will move their embassies to Jerusalem, recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital, and engage robustly with us for security, prosperity and peace, Netanyahu said. The Jerusalem decision upended decades of US diplomacy and broke with international consensus. Mogherini last week warned it could take the situation backwards to even darker times. After nearly two hours of talks between Netanyahu and the EU ministers, Mogherini gave a flat rejection of his suggestion they could follow Trump.