BICOM

It has been reported by media outlets that the UK blocked a statement yesterday from EU foreign ministers which adopted the concluding parameters from Sunday’s Paris peace conference.

The Guardian online suggests UK diplomats complained that the text of the statement had not been circulated in advance and that the session was merely an opportunity to share views.

Haaretz says that the UK opposed the resolution in line with opposition to the concluding parameters from Sunday’s Paris conference, which reaffirmed support for a two-state solution, and called for an end to violence and Israeli settlement activity.

The UK’s refusal happened after France reportedly proposed that the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels adopt a brief resolution which would have backed the conclusions from Sunday’s conference and stress the EU’s willingness to offer incentives to Israelis and Palestinians if a peace agreement were concluded.

The UK disagreed with the idea of a resolution, which required unanimity for adoption. Reports indicate that Hungary, Estonia and Lithuania backed the UK position.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini did not confirm the UK’s opposition to a resolution at yesterday’s Brussels meeting.

She said although no formal positions had been adopted, foreign ministers “strongly reconfirmed our consolidated position on the two states, and on the trends that are endangering this perspective,” namely “the settlement expansion, the violence and the incitement to violence, and the situation in Gaza”.

However, an unnamed senior European diplomat accused the UK of adopting incoming-US President Donald Trump’s positions, telling Haaretz that “the Brits read what Trump said and implemented it immediately”.

The UK government sent a relatively low-level delegation to Paris as observers. After the conference, the Foreign Office issued a statement expressing “reservations about an international conference intended to advance peace” when Israeli and Palestinian representatives were not invited. The statement concluded that the conference risked to “harden positions” on peace.

A statement from senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat called on the UK to “revise its positions by holding Israel accountable”.