The EU expressed “grave concern” if Israel annexes parts of Judea and Samaria.
By Aaron Sull, World Israel News
Israel Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, who took office on Monday, wasted no time chiding the European Union on Tuesday for subtly threatening Israel’s plan to annex parts of Judea and Samaria, calling it “megaphone diplomacy.”
“This megaphone diplomacy is not a substitute for intimate diplomatic dialogue and will not advance the role the EU is seeking to fulfill,” Ashkenazi said.
Ashkenazi also knocked the EU for not acknowledging Israel’s security concerns.
“It is regrettable that once again, the security of Israel, a key partner of the EU, and the threats that Israel face, were not mentioned at all and were not given the centrality that they should be in such a message,” he said.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, issued a veiled threat against Israel on Monday if it annexes “occupied Palestinian territories.”
“We note with grave concern the provision, to be submitted for approval by the Israeli cabinet, on the annexation of parts of occupied Palestinian territories,” Borell said.
“We strongly urge Israel to refrain from any unilateral decision that would lead to the annexation of any occupied Palestinian territory and would be, as such, contrary to International Law.”
On Friday, Borrell convened representatives of EU member states to discuss possible punitive measures if Israel “violates international law” by annexing the Jordan Valley and parts of Judea and Samaria.
The EU has long been committed to forcing Israel to relinquish Judea and Samaria, territory it gained from Jordan in 1967 when the Hashemite Kingdom and three other Arab nations attacked Israel during the Six-Day War.
The EU bloc has already rejected President Donald Trump’s Mideast plan, which would allow Israel to annex Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria.