Europe Rejects Netanyahu’s Wish For It To Follow Trump’s Lead On Israel's Capital

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been rebuffed in meetings in Brussels after urging European foreign ministers to follow the US’ lead in recognising Jerusalem as the Israeli capital.

During his first ever visit to the European Council's headquarters on Monday the Israeli leader told officials Donald Trump's move made peace in the Middle East possible “because recognising reality is the substance of peace, the foundation of peace”.

Palestinians should also move to “recognise the Jewish state and also recognise the fact that it has a capital. It's called Jerusalem,“ he added.

Europe must “stop pampering the Palestinians,” the Israeli premier said.

 “I think the Palestinians need a reality check. You have to stop cutting them slack. That's the only way to move forward towards peace.”

Mr Netanyahu’s overtures appear to have been comprehensively rejected by European officials, however.

Immediately after a closed-door breakfast meeting Sweden’s foreign minister Margot Wallstrom told reporters, “I have a hard time seeing that any other country would [recognise Jerusalem as Israeli] and I don't think any other EU country will do it”.

Her comments echo those made by French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Monday and EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini last week, both of whom have called for the EU to take the lead on the now “urgent” need to restart the peace process. 

The US president shocked even his closest allies with last Wednesday’s declaration that the country would break with decades of established foreign policy and international law by recognising the holy city as the Israeli capital, moving its embassy there from Tel Aviv. 

Israel annexed east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day war, a move regarded as illegal by the international community. 

Both Israelis and Palestinians claim the holy city as their undivided capital. Under the 1993 Oslo peace accords, the final status of Jerusalem is to be decided at an advanced level of peace talks. 

While welcomed by Mr Netanyahu, many other world leaders, including US allies such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia, have expressed concern that the controversial move could spark renewed violence in the region and wider Muslim world. 

Protests have been held across the globe and four Palestinians have been killed in violent clashes with Israeli security forces in the West Bank and Gaza. An Israeli soldier was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack carried out by a Palestinian on Sunday. 

On Monday, Hezbollah  the Lebanese militant group which has sworn Israel’s destruction - held a rally in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh attended by tens of thousands of people. 

Protesters chanted slogans such as “Death to America and Israel” and waved Hezbollah and Palestinian flags. 

More than 6,000 people also gathered in the Indonesia capital of Jakarta for a fifth day of solidarity protests against the US’ decision. 

In the Palestinian Territories and Jerusalem itself, however, demonstrations appear to be winding down. 

The US has been seeking to resurrect talks between Israel and the Palestinians since Mr Trump took office; the president has previously described brokering an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict “the ultimate deal”.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, however, says the US’ symbolic move on Jerusalem is as good as a “withdrawal” from the peace process. 

Hamas, the militant organisation which rules the Gaza Strip, has called for a third intifada as a result of the US’ decision. 

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said last week  it would still be up to the Israelis and Palestinians to hammer out all other issues surrounding the city in future talks and that a “reality check” was needed to revitalise peace talks. 

European officials, however, have been sceptical.

On Monday, many reiterated to reporters throughout the day that their official position still holds that East Jerusalem, Golan Heights and the occupied West Bank are not Israeli territory.

The right wing governments of Hungary and the Czech Republic have showed more support for the Trump administration’s move, but both countries said on Monday that their long-term goal on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was still a two-state solution.

FROM INDEPENDENT.co.uk