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Incoming EU Foreign Policy Czar Tough on Israel, Fond of Iran

(Times of Israel) Raphael Ahren - On Tuesday, the European Council nominated Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell Fontelles, a member of the country's ruling Socialist Workers' Party, as the EU's top diplomat. When Borrell was appointed Spain's foreign minister last year, he quickly become a leading voice advocating for recognition of a Palestinian state. He also condemned Israel's response to the Palestinian riots on the Gaza border, writing in Republica that it "reflects the dehumanization of the Palestinians by a large part of the Israeli political class and society." In February, he tweeted a congratulatory message celebrating the 40th anniversary of Iran's Islamic Revolution. Notably, he met his first wife in Israel while working on a kibbutz in 1969. In 2005, as president of the European Parliament, he spoke to the Knesset and endorsed Israel's Jewish character, something European officials almost never do. "I wish to reaffirm Europe's commitment to, and its special responsibility for, the existence of Israel as a Jewish state and as a democracy living in security and peace with its neighbors," he declared. But, like many European politicians who once used to have sympathy for Israel, "somewhere along the road, he became very critical," an Israeli diplomatic official said.
2019-07-05 00:00:00
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