At the Foreign Affairs Council on 23 January 2023, EU Foreign Ministers had a lunchtime exchange with the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammad Shtayyeh, and Palestinian Foreign Minister, Dr Riad Malki, affording them the opportunity to brief EU Ministers on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. There was a strong message of support from the High Representative and EU Ministers for a two-State solution. The discussion also covered the importance of a clear timeline towards holding national Palestinian elections and progressing with the Palestinian reform plan.
Taking concrete steps to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the European Union and the Palestinian Authority was a key a priority that I stressed to EU counterparts in advance of the meeting. In this regard, I warmly welcome the commitment to set up an annual high-level political dialogue between the EU and the Palestinian Authority. I also welcome that the perspective of launching negotiations on a full Association Agreement, which would formally be concluded upon Palestinian statehood, was also discussed.
As the Deputy is aware, there have been further troubling developments on the ground since the meeting in January, which have warranted a firm public response from the international community, including the EU. In this regard, I underline in particular the condemnation by EU High Representative Borrell, following his trilateral meeting with the Saudi Foreign Minister and the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, of the decision by the Israeli Government to “legalise”, under Israeli law, nine settlement outposts in the occupied West Bank.
I also welcome that there was agreement at this trilateral meeting on the urgent need to revive and safeguard the prospect of the two-State solution and on follow-up work with a view to developing proposals to mobilise members of the Arab League, the EU, and relevant international partners to coordinate efforts in this space.
This is consistent with the priorities that I set out to EU partners during the course of our discussions at the January FAC, in particular the need for clear messaging on the issue of Israeli settlement activities and for renewed and concrete efforts to restore a political horizon.
