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Israel gives cold shoulder to visiting EU official

During his visit to Israel, all of Koopmans’ requests to meet with diplomatic or security officials were either ignored or turned down.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

When the European Union’s Middle East peace envoy traveled to the Jewish State last week, his requests to meet with Israeli government officials were met with an unprecedented frosty silence, Walla reported.

In May, Dutch politician Sven Koopmans was appointed the EU’s Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process.

Shortly after Operation Guardian of the Walls, Koopmans reached out to Israel’s EU ambassador, Ronnie Lashno-Yaar, about scheduling a visit to Israel.

While Lashno-Yaar reportedly backed the idea, the Foreign Ministry was less enthusiastic about the matter. Koopmans decided to come to Israel anyway, hoping that once he was on the ground, government officials would soften up.

But during his visit to Israel, all of Koopmans’ requests to meet with diplomatic or security officials were either ignored or turned down — a highly unusual response, especially considering that he was already present in the country.

Koopmans toured the southern port city of Ashkelon, meeting with residents whose homes had been damaged by rockets fired from Gaza-based terror groups. Later, he traveled to Ramallah to meet with Palestinian Authority offiials.

Hebrew-language media reported that the reason for the snub was Israeli anger over the behavior and statements of EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

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An anonymous Israeli official told Walla that Borrell had misled Israel about a demand from the EU for a ceasefire.

On May 18th, Borell said that with the exception of Hungary, the entire bloc of 27 EU countries was calling for “the immediate cessation of all violence and the implementation of a ceasefire.”

In reality, the Israeli official said, not all EU countries backed the call for a ceasefire, which put heavy pressure on the Jewish State.

“Today in #Ashkelon I saw the random destruction and visited victims of the rockets. I met inspiring young people who lived through great fear, yet have high hopes for the future and genuine interest in meeting their Gaza neighbours,” Koopmans wrote on Twitter during his visit.

“We owe all of them lasting peace and security.”