(Jerusalem Post) Tovah Lazaroff - An unofficial EU draft report which fails to recognize Israel's right to a "united capital" could harm the newly warming relations with Europe, Israeli officials warned on Saturday. Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev deplored the unbalanced draft policy statement on eastern Jerusalem, calling it a "throwback to the past," and explained that if it were approved it "would have repercussions on the way we perceive the European involvement here." The report refers to the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Ramot, French Hill, East Talpiot, Gilo, Pisgat Ze'ev, and Har Homa [together home to over 200,000 Israelis] - as "illegal settlements." The report does not honor any Israeli claims to eastern Jerusalem or Israel's declaration that it is building the security barrier to prevent terrorist attacks. The "internal EU document has not yet been given official status nor has it been adopted by the EU," Regev noted.
2005-11-28 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive