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Lapid meets Mogherini in Brussels, urges EU action over boycotts
Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid travelled to Brussels yesterday and met with European Union (EU) leaders, including foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, urging her to encourage member states to issue a unified stance against attempts to boycott Israel.
Lapid asked Mogherini to push for a joint statement by the foreign ministers of all EU countries, which would reject the activities of the boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. Mogherini reportedly replied that she would take action on the issue and emphasised that she and the entire EU opposes calls to boycott Israel.
Lapid commented, “We must not leave the scene. Just as the IDF should reach every area which attacks Israel, so must we in the foreign arena be wherever they attack Israel, respond and try to change the situation.”
He also expressed outrage at the “hateful manner towards Israel” expressed by Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, who has been condemned by Israeli leaders across the political spectrum, having called for an investigation into what she termed “extrajudicial killings” by Israeli forces of Palestinians who have launched recent knife attacks against Israelis. At least 23 Israelis have been killed in near-daily attacks by Palestinians, mainly through stabbings and vehicle ramming, during a wave of violence which began in October.
Speaking yesterday, Emmanuel Nahshon, spokesman for Israel’s Foreign Ministry said that “given the incendiary and aggressive nature” of Wallstrom’s comments, “we have made it clear that she is not welcome in Israel.” Sweden’s Ambassador to Israel was yesterday summoned to Israel’s Foreign Ministry and reprimanded over Wallstrom’s assertion. Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said that the furore would have a wider impact, telling trainee diplomats that “Israel is closing its gates to official visits from Sweden.” Meanwhile, Tzipi Livni, a senior leader of the opposition party Zionist Union leader and former Foreign Minister commented, “We won’t accept any comparison between our security forces fighting against terror and terrorists.”