European lawmakers call for more EU dialogue with Israel
The letter called on Borrell to reconvene the EU-Israel Association Council which is the official framework for ministerial-level dialogue between the EU and Israel.
By LAHAV HARKOVA European Union flag flies outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, December 19, 2019.(photo credit: REUTERS/YVES HERMAN)
While EU member states have spoken out against Israel possibly applying sovereignty to parts of the West Bank, some even threatening punitive action, over 100 EU and European parliamentarians from across the political spectrum urged High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell to strengthen ties with Israel, in a letter sent Tuesday.The letter called on Borrell to reconvene the EU-Israel Association Council which is the official framework for ministerial-level dialogue between the EU and Israel, as stipulated in their Association Agreement they signed 25 years ago.The council has not met since 2012.The signatories, led by MEP Antonio López-Istúriz White of Spain, chairman of the European Parliament Delegation for relations with Israel, called on Borrell to relaunch the council as an "effective forum for close dialogue and consultation" in light of the current "pressing challenges and significant shared interests" between Israel and the EU.ELNET, which advocates for closer relations between Israel and Europe, praised the lawmakers' "clear and united call for renewing bilateral exchange."Several members of Knesset signed the letter as well, including Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Zvi Hauser (Derech Eretz) and opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid-Telem).
