by MK Ofir Akunis
The European Union is
wrong. Taking a unilateral stand will not encourage the Palestinians to
return to the negotiation table. On the contrary -- automatically siding
with the Palestinian Authority's positions will only drive them away.
Why engage in negotiations with Israel when their demands are met in
advance?
It seems that past
experiences have failed to leave their mark. Europe has supported the
various erroneous notions previously employed here -- the Oslo Accords,
the disengagement from Gaza Strip, former Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and
Ehud Olmert's proposals to return to the 1967 borders and divide
Jerusalem -- have all failed. Not because of the Europeans, not because
of Israel and not because of the United States. They failed over the
Palestinians' persistent refusal to strike peace.
The Europeans were wrong before. They are wrong again.
The EU's decision to
ban the funding of settlement-related projects is not surprising. It
stems from a much bigger, fundamental disagreement. The EU views the
Gilo, Ramat Eshkol, Ramot and French Hill neighborhoods in Jerusalem as
"occupied territories" but we see them as parts of a united Jerusalem.
While they believe that Judea and Samaria are "under occupation," we see
them as the cradle of the Jewish people's homeland; to say nothing of
the fact that enacting Israeli law in the Golan Heights 32 years ago has
now saved us from witnessing the tragedy of the Syrian civil war unfold
on the banks of the Sea of Galilee.
When Europe understands
that the conflict has little to do with the 1967 borders and everything
to do with our very existence here, they too will abandon their
unfortunate tendency to interfere where it is unnecessary and even
harmful.
MK Ofir Akunis is a deputy minister in the Prime Minister's Office.
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=5013
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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