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EU Calls for Action on Palestinian Statehood, Israeli Occupation

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The European Union has called for urgent action to address the stalled peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, emphasizing the need for a two-state solution and condemning all forms of hate speech and violence.

Key Demands

  • Hold free and fair elections without further delay in the Palestinian territories.
  • Respect obligations to allow such elections to take place in East Jerusalem.
  • Align Palestinian school textbooks with UNESCO standards.
  • Condemn and eliminate all forms of hate speech and violent behavior on both Israeli and Palestinian sides.

Education and Textbooks

  • The EU condemned “problematic and hateful content” in some Palestinian school textbooks, which has yet to be removed.
  • EU financial support for the Palestinian Authority (PA) in education will only be provided if textbook content is aligned with UNESCO standards.

Reconstruction and Development

  • The resolution emphasized the need to advance reconstruction and development projects in the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), including in the Gaza Strip.
  • The EU called for dialogue with Arab countries that have signed the Abraham Accords to explore how their normalization agreements with Israel could be conducive to the two-state solution, Palestinian economic development, and overall regional development.

Israeli Occupation

  • The resolution demanded that Israel stop destroying vital civilian infrastructure and illegally exploiting water and land resources in the oPt, including East Jerusalem.
  • The EU urged the PA to guarantee respect for the principles of the rule of law and reaffirm the separation of powers and independence of the judiciary by repealing a decree establishing the Supreme Council of Judicial Bodies and Authorities.

Reactions

EU Official

“This resolution sends a strong message that the EU will no longer tolerate the status quo… We need to see concrete steps towards peace and statehood, and we expect both parties to work together to make this happen.”

Palestinian Officials

“We appreciate the EU’s recognition of our right to self-determination and its call for an end to Israeli occupation. However, we need to see more concrete steps towards statehood and less talk.”

Israeli Official

“This resolution is a slap in the face for Israel… The EU needs to focus on promoting peace and security, rather than trying to dictate terms to both sides.”

Next Steps Unclear

It remains unclear what steps the EU will take next to implement its resolution, but sources close to the negotiations say that the bloc is considering a range of measures, including increased financial support for Palestinian development projects and tougher sanctions against Israel.

The fate of the resolution ultimately rests with the Israeli and Palestinian authorities, who must work together to make progress towards peace and statehood. As the EU official noted, “words are cheap - we need action.”