About: Palestine Archives

A bill that opponents say targets Israeli human rights groups critical of Israel's policies towards the Palestinians won initial approval in parliament yesterday (8 February) with the support of right-wing parties.

Swedish police on Tuesday (19 January) opened a formal corruption probe of the social democratic Foreign Minister Margot Wallström over the rent contract for her apartment in Stockholm.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the European Union yesterday (14 January) of holding his country to a double standard, and reserved special criticism for Sweden, saying its call to investigate Israel was outrageous, immoral and stupid.

The Syriza-led Greek parliament will vote on 22 December to recognise the Palestinian state, triggering nervous reactions among centre-right opposition parties. EURACTIV Greece reports.

Israel said on Sunday (29 November) it was suspending contacts with European Union bodies involved in peace efforts with the Palestinians after the bloc started requiring the labelling of exports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Ely Ould Mohamed Vall, former President of Mauritania, told a Brussels audience that the first prerequisites for the development of Africa are the fight against terrorism and corruption.

EU guidelines on the "indication of origin of goods from the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967" are a long overdue step forward, writes MEP Alyn Smith.

The EU decision to adopt new labeling on Israel's settlement products is perceived as an act of discrimination which will not help the diplomatic process, writes Yossi Lempkowicz.

Israel denounced a European Union proposal Tuesday (3 November) to label products from Jewish settlements, saying it would damage the peace process with the Palestinians.

As the Middle East Quartet comes back to life, the EU must allow its member states to play an active role in the informal international group, to promote peace in the region, writes Nimrod Goren.

Research, Science and Innovation Commissioner Carlos Moedas said yesterday (13 October) that one of the best project in the world in terms of science diplomacy was the particle accelerator SESAME in Amman, Jordan, launched in 2003 under the auspices of UNESCO.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini called the Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday (11 October) and stressed that any reaction to a latest escalation of violence should be proportionate.

Diplomacy and development are the foundations of the EU’s influence in the world. But they can only be effective if we truly understand the cultural and political landscapes of the countries we are trying to influence, writes Hans Gustaf Wessberg.

MEPs have called for tighter controls on European financing of Israeli companies. Lax regulation currently allows weapons manufacturers access to EU funding. EURACTIV France reports. 

Former British premier Tony Blair is standing down as the Quartet representative in the Middle East, the organisation said yesterday (27 May), after eight years of struggling to break ground in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Greek government is committed to recognising Palestine, said Syriza MEP Sofia Sakorafa. EURACTIV Greece reports.

The European Union congratulated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his election victory Wednesday (18 March), but added it was committed to relaunching the Middle East peace process, which he appeared to repudiate during the campaign.

Jewish associations are criticising the composition of a new anti-Semitism commission in Germany’s Internal Affairs Ministry, made up entirely of non-Jews. But the Ministry responded it is “quite confident” it will be able to make the group more inclusive. EURACTIV Germany reports.

European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has suggested EU states could re-engage with Russia on global diplomacy, trade and other issues in return for gradual steps to defuse the crisis over Ukraine.

Tens of thousands of people around the world took to the streets in solidarity with France over last week’s terrorist attacks that killed 17 people, primarily at the Paris office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

The European Parliament has voted in favour of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. The final resolution was heavily watered down in order to obtain the support of Europe's right wing parties. EURACTIV France reports. 

The European Court of Justice ordered on Wednesday (17 December) that Hamas be removed from the EU list of terrorist organisations, giving member states three months to provide evidence to review the ruling.

EU lawmakers stopped short on Tuesday (16 December) of proposing a joint motion urging EU members to recognise a state of Palestine, settling instead on a compromise resolution that peace talks should progress.

Four national European parliaments have already voted to recognize Palestinian statehood. It's time the European Parliament does the same, Ilan Baruch writes.