Britain and France are coordinating unprecedented diplomatic protests of Israel’s planned settlement expansion in the wake of the Palestinians’ U.N. statehood bid.
In retaliation for Palestine attaining non-member state observer status at the U.N. on Thursday, Israel announced that it would retaliate by building 3,000 new units in a West Bank area, E-1, long considered a red line by Europe and the U.S.
As German and Dutch officials warned that they may pull diplomatic support for Israel over the settlement expansion plans, Britain and France prepared to potentially recall their ambassadors:
Britain and France are poised to take action − possibly including the unprecedented step of recalling their ambassadors, according to senior European diplomats − in protest at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to move settlement construction ahead in the area known as E1, between Ma’aleh Adumim and Jerusalem.
“This time it won’t just be a condemnation, there will be real action taken against Israel,” a senior European diplomat said.
Netanyahu’s decision Friday to move ahead on construction in E1 and to build 3,000 housing units in the settlement blocs east of Jerusalem, has apparently shocked the foreign ministries and the leaders in London and Paris. Not only do Britain and France view construction in E1 as a “red line,” they are reportedly angry because they view Israel as having responded ungratefully to the support the two countries gave it during the recent Gaza operation.
Israeli officials on Thursday admitted they had “lost Europe” after the Czech Republic was the only E.U. country to vote no on Palestine becoming a non-member state at the U.N. Now, Israel is testing Washington’s resolve by building in a sensitive West Bank area it had explicitly promised the U.S. it would not touch.
Today, an Israeli official called that agreement with the U.S. “no longer relevant.” However, prominent (past) U.S. officials disagreed:
“Building in E-1 has been a red line for the United States, and for a reason-it would lead to the bifurcation of the West Bank and render territorial contiguity there nearly impossible,” former senior State Department official Robert Danin told Al-Monitor Sunday, noting that he spent over 20 years working Middle East issues for the State Department under both Republican and Democratic administrations. “I don’t see any administration acquiescing to building there.”
“If the announcement is real and not simply a PR move for internal politics reasons, it should spur the Administration into action, as the United States has been adamant for many years, including in the Bush Administration, that Israel not build in E-1,” former US Ambassador to Israel Kurtzer told Al-Monitor Friday.
While the Obama administration has sharply condemned Israel’s announcement, no further diplomatic steps have been taken.
However, as diplomatic pressure from Europe mounts in unprecedented ways, making the U.S. increasingly isolated in its approach, the Obama administration may be compelled to consider a shift, particularly given that Israel is responding to such pressure from the West with increased stubbornness:
Despite the protests from Europe, a source in the Prime Minister’s Office said that Israel is planning to take more steps against the Palestinian Authority. “The Palestinians will soon come to understand that they made a mistake when they took unilateral action and breached their treaties with Israel.
As Israel continues to back itself into a corner, losing the “quality minority” of Western nations it once had, many wonder how far Europe will go in a last-ditch attempt to diplomatically save the chance for two, self-determining states.
The U.S., spurned and disrespected by Israel after being one of only nine nations to vote against Palestinian statehood at the U.N., must decide whether it can afford to perpetuate the status quo – alone.
Follow David Harris-Gershon on Twitter @David_EHG
This is a bit encouraging. But it is still mere talk, and the UNSC and nations individually have been (merely) talking to Israel for quite a while. Israel has developed the understandable — if unusual — habit of ignoring talk. and nothing bad has happened to Israel. they complaining about being (or fearing to become) a pariah — a nation about which bad things are said — but they apparently don’t really mind, and act consistently — over 64 years — in spite of all the nations have to say. As to settlements, see UNSC 465 (1980), which calls (in mere words, without actions or threatened action) for the remoival of ALL settlers and ALL settlements.
But still, it is a crisis for Someone. If Israel does not publicly back down and un-permit the latest 3000 units, it will be a crisis for several European countries. If Israel does back down, it might be a crisis for Israel. And if Israel dithers, it may be a crisis for all concerned.
But the bottom line is that — apparently — a few European countries actually HAVE a bottom line (called a “red line”) and actually contemplate taking minimal diplomatic actions. Can restrictions on visas to Israelis, on airflights to and from Israel, on trade, be far behind if Issrael continues — as for 44 years — to go its own way.
Let’s rejoice: here, at last, is an invitation from a few European countries to Israel, an invitation to join the community (yes, community) off nations, to become a member in good standing.
Free Tibet by cutting off trade with China. Oops, you might have to surrender your Chinese assembled laptop.
Maybe economic sanctions are in order. I wonder what are the chances the US would support that strategy.
Your hopes will fall short. IN the mean time Assad is getting ready to feed Sarin gas to his own people.
This is crazy Iran is building a bomb three times the size of Hiroshima in order primarily to destroy Israel and what is on the main agenda for these foolish nations you guess right the answer is Penalize Israel. The world is upside down and will never learn.