Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Foreign Trade Hadja Rachbib speaks to the media before the start of the meeting of EU foreign ministers at the Europe Building, the headquarters of the Council of the European Union, in Brussels, Belgium, January 22, 2024. Thierry Monas/Getty Images
European Union foreign ministers on Monday insisted that the establishment of a Palestinian state is the only credible way to achieve peace in the Middle East, expressing concern over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s clear rejection of the idea. did.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s declaration is alarming. We will need a Palestinian state with security guaranteed for all,” French Foreign Minister Stephane Séjourne told EU ministers to discuss the Gaza war. He told reporters in Brussels, where he was meeting.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi were also in the Belgian capital for talks. The question of Gaza’s future also pits Israel against the United States and its Arab allies, who are trying to broker an end to the fighting in the besieged Palestinian territory.
The health ministry in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip has reported that the death toll of Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas has exceeded 25,000. Israel announced Sunday that another hostage taken in the Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war has died.
The EU is the world’s largest donor of aid to the Palestinians, but has little influence over Israel, despite being its largest trading partner. Even among its 27 member states, there is significant disagreement over its approach. But as the death toll in Gaza rises, so do calls for an end to the fighting.
“The situation in Gaza is extremely tense. There is a risk of starvation. There is a risk of epidemics. The violence must stop,” said Hajja Rahbib, Foreign Minister of Belgium, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency. .
“We demand an immediate ceasefire, the release of the hostages, respect for international law and a return to the peace process, which must lead to the creation of two states living side by side in peace,” Rahib said. Ta. , states that a two-state solution is “the only way to establish peace in the region in a durable way.”
Israel appears far from achieving its goal of crushing Hamas and releasing the more than 100 remaining hostages. But Prime Minister Netanyahu rejects Palestinian statehood and appears to want unrestricted military control over Gaza.
The conflict over the region’s future comes at a time when the war is still raging and there is no end in sight, pitting the EU, the US, its Arab allies and Israel against each other and threatening any plans for post-war governance or reconstruction in Gaza. It has become an obstacle.
The EU has invited the foreign ministers of Israel, the Palestinians, Egypt and Jordan, as well as representatives of the Arab League, to Monday’s talks. Israeli and Palestinian ministers were not scheduled to meet.
European ministers want to hear what other plans Israel has.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who chaired the meeting, asked: “What other solutions do they have in mind?” “To remove all the Palestinians? To kill them?”
Mr. Borrell condemned the atrocities committed by Hamas during an unprecedented attack in southern Israel on October 7. “They are sowing seeds of hatred for generations,” he said, referring to Israel’s military actions.
“Peace and stability cannot be built through military means alone,” he said.
Spain is pushing for a peace conference to discuss what happens after the fighting ends. A meeting in Brussels is planned for the future, but the timing is still unclear. The plan has the support of some EU member states, but some believe it cannot be realized without Israeli support.
Luxembourg’s Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel said: “If Israel does not come to the table, there is no point in holding a peace conference.” He said that after recent discussions with Israeli officials, it was clear that the country would not be ready as long as it believed Hamas still posed a danger.
Israel’s Katz, who arrived at the meeting, declined to respond to a question about the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state. Katz held up a photo of an Israeli hostage and came to ask for support for Israel’s efforts to dismantle Hamas, he said.
“We must regain security. Our brave soldiers are fighting in very difficult conditions,” he told reporters. Katz said the Israeli government’s objective was clear: “to bring back the hostages and restore security to the Israeli people.”
Amid rising tensions in the region, ministers also discussed a planned EU naval mission to help secure maritime traffic in the Red Sea, the world’s main trade route. Belgium has promised to send frigates, and Germany may do the same. Italy is also keen to participate.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been attacking ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden for several months with ties to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. U.S. airstrikes have hit Iranian-backed Houthi positions seven times, U.S. officials said, with British troops also participating in some of the strikes.