JEWISH KING JESUS IS COMING AT THE RAPTURE FOR US IN THE CLOUDS-DON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD.THE BIBLE TAKEN LITERALLY- WHEN THE PLAIN SENSE MAKES GOOD SENSE-SEEK NO OTHER SENSE-LEST YOU END UP IN NONSENSE.GET SAVED NOW- CALL ON JESUS TODAY.THE ONLY SAVIOR OF THE WHOLE EARTH - NO OTHER. 1 COR 15:23-JESUS THE FIRST FRUITS-CHRISTIANS RAPTURED TO JESUS-FIRST FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT-23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.ROMANS 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.(THE PRE-TRIB RAPTURE)
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DANIEL 11:21-23
21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
DANIEL 7:23-25
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS-10 WORLD REGIONS/TRADE BLOCS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS-10 WORLD DIVISION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(THE EU (EUROPEAN UNION) TAKES OVER IRAQ WHICH HAS SPLIT INTO 3-SUNNI-KURD-SHIA PARTS-AND THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE IS BROUGHT BACK TOGETHER-THE TWO LEGS OF DANIEL WESTERN LEG AND THE ISLAMIC LEG COMBINED AS 1)
DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he ( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant (PEACE TREATY) with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE ANIMAL SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
FROM UN MEETING-http://ift.tt/1Cextgw
-pic-popsugar.com.au-Spain's Felipe and Letizia Are Now King and Queen-IF THIS NEW PEACE PROCESS IS DONE WITH SPAIN INVOLVED AS A COUNTRY.THIS WOULD MEAN FELIPE 6TH WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE ISRAELI-ARAB PEACE PROCESS.FELIPE HAS IN HIS TITLE AS KING OF SPAIN-THE KING OF JERUSALEM.AND THE CONSPIRACY THEORY CROWD ALL SAY THIS WORLD DICTATOR WOULD BE A GIANT.WELL KING FELIPE IS 6 FEET 5 INCHES TALL.YOU COULD SAY HE IS A GIANT OF A MAN.IS IT NOT INTERESTING THAT FELIPE IS FELIPE THE 6TH.AND SPANISH KING FELIPE IS A MILITARY EXPERT.SO KING FELIPE IS A CANDIDATE FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION WORLD DICTATOR.AND IF HES INVOLVED IN THE PEACE PROCESS-HE DEFINATELY WILL BE A CANDIDATE FOR SURE.HES FROM A EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRY.AND HE IS ALSO A KING.LIKE THE BIBLE SAYS THE DICTATOR MUST BE.
Profile: Spain's King Felipe VI-JUNE 2014-BBC NEWS
Felipe VI of Spain acceded to the throne following the abdication of his father Juan Carlos - the first royal transition since the restoration of Spanish democracy.The new king received an extended standing ovation from dignitaries in Madrid's Royal Palace as he formally became monarch at midnight on 19 June.He is the only son of Juan Carlos, and has two elder sisters.In 2004 he married a star TV presenter, Letizia, and they have two daughters - Leonor and Sofia.Felipe becomes king at a time when many Spaniards are struggling after years of austerity and economic hardship.The BBC's Chris Morris in Madrid says he faces the dual challenge of rehabilitating the monarchy damaged by recent scandals, and unifying a country in which a vocal minority favour republicanism.As crown prince, Felipe assumed many of his father's duties as his health declined in the final years of his reign.Since 1996 he has represented Spain at the swearing-in ceremonies for presidents in Latin America.That role has underlined his special interest in relations with Spain's former colonies in the Americas.In 2011 he performed more royal duties than his father - a total of 253 functions in Spain and abroad.At the age of 18, in January 1986, he swore allegiance to the monarch and the Spanish constitution.His full name is Felipe Juan Pablo y Alfonso de Todos los Santos. He is named after Philip V (1683-1746), the first Bourbon king of Spain.Olympic yachtsman-A sports enthusiast, Felipe was in Spain's Olympic yachting team at the Barcelona Games in 1992.He has a law degree from the Madrid Autonomous University. He graduated in 1993 and went on to spend two years doing a Master's in International Relations at Georgetown University, Washington.As a school student he had also spent a year at Lakefield College School in Canada.In 1985-89 he underwent officer training at Spanish military academies. He graduated as a helicopter pilot, lieutenant-colonel in the army and air force and frigate commander in the navy.Since 2010 he has chaired meetings of the Spanish armed forces chiefs. He also participates in military exercises.He has travelled to many countries, one of his chief roles being to promote Spanish business interests and culture globally.
Profile: Spain's King Felipe VI-JUNE 2014-BBC NEWS
Felipe VI of Spain acceded to the throne following the abdication of his father Juan Carlos - the first royal transition since the restoration of Spanish democracy.The new king received an extended standing ovation from dignitaries in Madrid's Royal Palace as he formally became monarch at midnight on 19 June.He is the only son of Juan Carlos, and has two elder sisters.In 2004 he married a star TV presenter, Letizia, and they have two daughters - Leonor and Sofia.Felipe becomes king at a time when many Spaniards are struggling after years of austerity and economic hardship.The BBC's Chris Morris in Madrid says he faces the dual challenge of rehabilitating the monarchy damaged by recent scandals, and unifying a country in which a vocal minority favour republicanism.As crown prince, Felipe assumed many of his father's duties as his health declined in the final years of his reign.Since 1996 he has represented Spain at the swearing-in ceremonies for presidents in Latin America.That role has underlined his special interest in relations with Spain's former colonies in the Americas.In 2011 he performed more royal duties than his father - a total of 253 functions in Spain and abroad.At the age of 18, in January 1986, he swore allegiance to the monarch and the Spanish constitution.His full name is Felipe Juan Pablo y Alfonso de Todos los Santos. He is named after Philip V (1683-1746), the first Bourbon king of Spain.Olympic yachtsman-A sports enthusiast, Felipe was in Spain's Olympic yachting team at the Barcelona Games in 1992.He has a law degree from the Madrid Autonomous University. He graduated in 1993 and went on to spend two years doing a Master's in International Relations at Georgetown University, Washington.As a school student he had also spent a year at Lakefield College School in Canada.In 1985-89 he underwent officer training at Spanish military academies. He graduated as a helicopter pilot, lieutenant-colonel in the army and air force and frigate commander in the navy.Since 2010 he has chaired meetings of the Spanish armed forces chiefs. He also participates in military exercises.He has travelled to many countries, one of his chief roles being to promote Spanish business interests and culture globally.
HERES THE NEW EXPANDED ISRAEL-ARAB PEACE PLAN SCAM TO FORCE ISRAEL INTO DIVIDING JERUSALEM-BUT IT IS FALLING INTO PLACE OF THE DANIEL 9:27 TREATY-AS ISRAEL-ARABS AND MANY SIGN THE 7 YEAR DEAL.-AT LEAST SPAIN WILL BE INVOLVED IN THIS NEW PEACE PROCESS AS WELL AS ITALY ROME.-Quartet +-The Mogherini meeting is to launch a new model for Arab-Israeli peace talks.The EU plan, based on a French proposal in July, is to enlarge the Quartet, the UN body dealing with the issue, to involve Arab states.The Quartet includes the EU, Russia, the UN, and the US.France said the "Quartet +" should involve: the five UN Security Council veto-holders (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US); Germany; Italy; Spain; Arab states; the EU; and the UN.Mogherini's event is to be limited to Quartet foreign ministers and their counterparts from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the Arab League only, however.-EU diplomats said the French blueprint was shot down at an informal EU ministers' meeting two weeks ago."Mogherini didn't like it because it would dilute the EU insitutions' role in the process", one contact said. A second source said the UN didn't like it for the same reason.The Quartet + project replaces an earlier French idea - a UNSC resolution giving Israel and Palestine a two-year deadline to come to terms.An EU source said the two-year plan "ran out of gas" in terms of international support, but could be revived if the Quartet + fails.
ANTICHRIST (NAMES OF)
1 JOHN 4:2-3
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2 JOHN 7
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
DANIEL 9:26 (COMES FROM ROME) (EU)
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
DANIEL 8:9
9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
DANIEL 7:8
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
DANIEL 8:23
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
DANIEL 11:36
36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
2 THESSALONIANS 2:3-4,8
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin (THE LAWLESS EU DICTATOR) be revealed, the son of perdition;(THE SON OF SATAN INCARNATE)
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God,(3RD TEMPLE REBUILT NOT OUR BODIES) shewing himself that he is God.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed,(EU WORLD DICTATOR) whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
ISAIAH 57:20
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
REVELATION 13:1-2
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
1 JOHN 4:2-3
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
2 JOHN 7
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
DANIEL 9:26 (COMES FROM ROME) (EU)
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
DANIEL 8:9
9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
DANIEL 7:8
8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
DANIEL 8:23
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
DANIEL 11:36
36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
2 THESSALONIANS 2:3-4,8
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (THE 7 YEAR TRIBULATION PERIOD) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin (THE LAWLESS EU DICTATOR) be revealed, the son of perdition;(THE SON OF SATAN INCARNATE)
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God,(3RD TEMPLE REBUILT NOT OUR BODIES) shewing himself that he is God.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed,(EU WORLD DICTATOR) whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
ISAIAH 57:20
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
REVELATION 13:1-2
1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
DANIEL 11:21-23
21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
DANIEL 7:23-25
23 Thus he said, The fourth beast (EU,REVIVED ROME) shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth,(7TH WORLD EMPIRE) which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.(TRADING BLOCKS-10 WORLD REGIONS/TRADE BLOCS)
24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings(10 NATIONS-10 WORLD DIVISION WORLD GOVERNMENT) that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.(THE EU (EUROPEAN UNION) TAKES OVER IRAQ WHICH HAS SPLIT INTO 3-SUNNI-KURD-SHIA PARTS-AND THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE IS BROUGHT BACK TOGETHER-THE TWO LEGS OF DANIEL WESTERN LEG AND THE ISLAMIC LEG COMBINED AS 1)
DANIEL 9:26-27
26 And after threescore and two weeks(62X7=434 YEARS+7X7=49 YEARS=TOTAL OF 69 WEEKS OR 483 YRS) shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;(ROMAN LEADERS DESTROYED THE 2ND TEMPLE) and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.(THERE HAS TO BE 70 WEEKS OR 490 YRS TO FUFILL THE VISION AND PROPHECY OF DAN 9:24).(THE NEXT VERSE IS THAT 7 YR WEEK OR (70TH FINAL WEEK).
27 And he ( THE ROMAN,EU PRESIDENT) shall confirm the covenant (PEACE TREATY) with many for one week:(1X7=7 YEARS) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,(3 1/2 yrs in TEMPLE ANIMAL SACRIFICES STOPPED) and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
FROM UN MEETING-http://ift.tt/1Cextgw
Responding to a question about action on the Middle East, and about whether the Council might go to Gaza to see the conditions with their own eyes, he said that no such visit was planned for July. There was talk about the right time to take action on the Middle East. Speaking in his national capacity, he added that the failure of the Council to take action would be an abdication of its responsibility.
PEACE PROCESS SUMMARY JULY 1&2 IN RUSSIA
http://ift.tt/1KceiEm
http://ift.tt/1Ckkl43
http://ift.tt/1Os2KQH
Migration and Middle East to top EU agenda at UN By Andrew Rettman-SEPT 14,15-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 18:22-The migrant crisis and the Middle East Peace Process will top the EU's agenda when world leaders meet in New York for the UN general assembly.The event begins on 28 September and lasts one week.This year's meeting will start with a special speech by Pope Francis, on 25 September, likely urging European countries to show compassion to Syrian refugees.It will see Palestine, a UN "observer state", hang its flag on the UN building for the first time in history.It will see Russian leader Vladimir Putin come for the first time in 10 years and shortly after invading Ukraine.It will also hear from other colourful speakers, such as Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe, the current chair of the African Union, and Sudan chief Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.For his part, Council chief Donald Tusk got a good spot to speak on behalf of the EU - shortly before lunch on 29 September.But the big EU day is 30 September, when UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon chairs a high-level meeting on the migrant crisis, while EU foreign relations chief Federica Mogherini chairs an event on Middle East peace talks.The Ban Ki-moon meeting is to bring together leaders from EU "target" states, as well as Middle East and African migrant "transit" and "origin" countries. South-east Asian leaders might also attend."The EU's going to catch it [criticism] from all sides", a diplomatic source told EUobserver."This is a major event which will mark a milestone on the way to Valetta", he added, referring to an upcoming EU migration summit in Malta.-Quartet +The Mogherini meeting is to launch a new model for Arab-Israeli peace talks.The EU plan, based on a French proposal in July, is to enlarge the Quartet, the UN body dealing with the issue, to involve Arab states.The Quartet includes the EU, Russia, the UN, and the US.France said the "Quartet +" should involve: the five UN Security Council veto-holders (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US); Germany; Italy; Spain; Arab states; the EU; and the UN.Mogherini's event is to be limited to Quartet foreign ministers and their counterparts from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the Arab League only, however.-EU diplomats said the French blueprint was shot down at an informal EU ministers' meeting two weeks ago."Mogherini didn't like it because it would dilute the EU insitutions' role in the process", one contact said. A second source said the UN didn't like it for the same reason.The Quartet + project replaces an earlier French idea - a UNSC resolution giving Israel and Palestine a two-year deadline to come to terms.An EU source said the two-year plan "ran out of gas" in terms of international support, but could be revived if the Quartet + fails.Poverty, climate-In other EU events, European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans will, on 27 September, address a meeting on eradicating global poverty.Aid commissioner Neven Mimica is also taking part, but sources said Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker won't attend.On the same day, France will take centre stage at climate change talks ahead of the Paris summit in December.Mogherini will also co-chair a meeting on 29 September on how to get more humanitarian aid into Syria.-EU navies-Meanwhile, the UK will be angling for support for its draft resolution on the EU's anti-smuggler naval operation, EUnavfor Med.A contact familiar with the draft text said it aims to authorise military action in a limited maritime zone which connects Libyan waters to Italy.It also aims to allow EU navies to take migrants and suspected smugglers to Italy, where authorities will decide who merits asylum, who should be deported, and who should face criminal charges.The EU says it doesn't need UN Security Council (UNSC) approval for this phase of the operation.But a diplomatic contact said the UK, for one, wants "UNSC cover" in case clashes with smugglers cause "incidents", alluding to loss of life.
EU Exploring Broad Coalition to Push for Renewed Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations-EU to look at feasibility of new international group to build on core efforts of Middle East Quartet By Laurence Norman-Updated July 20, 2015 7:21 p.m. ET-WSJ
BRUSSELS—The European Union, which played a key role in securing the Iran nuclear deal, on Monday said it was now turning its attention to reviving peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians.The effort comes after U.S.-led negotiations collapsed in spring 2014 amid squabbles over Israeli settlements and Palestinian demands for prisoner releases.There has been growing frustration within the EU and elsewhere that the Middle East Quartet—a grouping of the EU, the U.S., Russia and the United Nations—has been unable to relaunch serious negotiations, fearing tensions in the region were intensifying.Some diplomats said the EU initiative was an effort to find a new formula for fueling negotiations—one that over time could effectively replace the Middle East Quartet.However, the EU’s foreign-policy chief, Federica Mogherini, played that down at a news conference, saying the initiative would build on work the EU had done with its partners to revitalize the Quartet and include more regional participants, including the Arab League and Gulf Cooperation Council.Ms. Mogherini has made a stepped-up EU role in the peace process a key foreign-policy goal since she took her post in November.Her first visit outside the bloc was to Israel and the Palestinian territories and she returned there in May shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won re-election.She said she would consult with regional and international partners on the feasibility of what EU foreign ministers suggested would be an international support group for the peace process.“We need to build a framework—regional and international—that can lead to a more positive environment for the process to start,” she said.Ms. Mogherini said she would report back to EU foreign ministers on options in September. She said she would discuss the ideas with the Israeli and Palestinian leadership, as well as the U.S. and others.The Israeli mission to the EU on the proposal didn’t immediately comment.The EU initiative comes a week after the Iranian nuclear talks were concluded.The EU played a key role in those negotiations and last week’s final deal has raised Brussels’ confidence that it can play a major role on other high-profile international peace efforts.By contrast, the nuclear deal has made Washington anxious to reassure its allies that it wasn’t abandoning them. Israel and the Gulf States fear the nuclear deal will expand Tehran’s regional sway and do little in the long term to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.On Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Israeli defense chiefs sought to ease the rift over the Iran deal, saying they wouldn’t let it get in the way of expanded cooperation against threats posed by Iran’s proxies, particularly Hezbollah.The State Department didn’t respond to a request for comment.The bloc’s ties with Israel remain strained. There was widespread criticism of Mr. Netanyahu’s comments ahead of the Israeli election that questioned whether an independent Palestinian state was acceptable. The Israeli leader said soon after that he still believed in a two-state solution, but his comments led to a White House warning that Washington could reassess its Middle East policy.The EU again slammed Israeli settlement building on Monday, saying it was undercutting a two-state peace solution and that it stood “ready to take further action…to protect the viability of the two-state solution.”Mr. Netanyahu has criticized what he calls foreign interference in what he says should be a bilateral discussion between Israel and the Palestinians.With peace talks stalled and the situation in Gaza deteriorating, France has stepped up pressure for international efforts to force a solution. Paris has started discussions on a U.N. Security Council resolution that would guide negotiations that could lead to an independent Palestinian state and include a time frame for talks to end the conflict.Those efforts were put on hold in the final weeks of the nuclear talks and French officials have said they are consulting with the U.S. and other partners on the wording of a resolution in a bid to build consensus. The U.S. has in the past threatened to veto efforts to impose a peace solution on the parties.Speaking Monday morning on his arrival in Brussels, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the peace process is “on its death bed,” adding, “The situation is bad. Europe must help the two sides take initiatives to get out of this stalemate.”Write to Laurence Norman at laurence.norman@wsj.com
2 July 2015-GA/PAL/1339-Revitalizing Middle East Quartet, Implementing Arab Peace Initiative, Ensuring Security Council Leadership Key to Two-State Solution, Moscow Meeting Told-General Assembly-Press Release
MOSCOW, 2 July — Experts called for an expansion of the Middle East Quartet, implementation of the Arab Peace Initiative and greater awareness of it in Israel, and a Security Council resolution setting a timetable to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as the United Nations International Meeting in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace continued in Moscow this morning.Entitled “international efforts to achieve the two-State solution”, the session opened the second day of the two-day Meeting, convened by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to explore ways to foster the conditions needed for a successful political process and review international efforts to achieve the two-State solution.Addressing the plenary session were Samir Bakr, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in Jeddah (OIC); Gilbert Roger, Senator of the Socialist Party of France, Vice President of the Foreign Affairs Committee and President of the France-Palestine Friendship Group; Galina Prozorova, Leading Researcher of the Centre for Eurasian Studies at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow; Alla Shainskaya, Member of the Executive Committee and President of the Congress of Meretz Party in Tel Aviv; and Alexander Vavilov, Professor in the Department of Diplomatic and Consular Service at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow.Mr. Bakr said that since its founding in 1969, the OIC had adopted several proposals and resolutions annually declaring its member States’ unanimous support for the rights of the Palestinian people and the two-State solution. The peace initiative launched in Fez, Morocco, in 1982 by the League of Arab States was an important milestone, as it was the first time recognition of Israel was proposed and in which Arab States declared their acceptance of an independent State of Palestine along 1967 borders. The fourth Islamic Summit Conference in 1984 endorsed that initiative, and OIC members pledged to employ all means to implement it. The OIC recognized various peace initiatives, he said, among them the 1991 Madrid Conference, the 1993 Oslo Accords, the Middle East Quartet — formed in 2002 and comprising the United Nations, Russian Federation, United States and the European Union — and the road map that body subsequently presented. A blueprint for peace, the road map aimed to achieve a just, comprehensive peace by calling on Israel to withdraw fully from the territories it had occupied since 1967 and to implement a just resolution for Palestinian refugees. Despite international praise for the plan over the years, and the granting by the United Nations General Assembly of Palestine’s observer State status, Israel continued to flout international law, he said. It still controlled 62 per cent of the West Bank. Its unilateral decisions threatened to escalate violence, in effect destroying the two-State vision — and a historic opportunity to resolve the conflict. Moreover, Israel’s attempt to declare a fait accompli, even if it provided it temporary security, would not lead to enduring stability. “The picture is grim. Time is no longer a neutral element,” he said, noting that the passage of time enabled the occupying Power to continue settlement building in the West Bank and the judaization of Jerusalem, resulting in more hardship for the Palestinian people. The two-State solution was in the interest of all parties concerned, he said. An end to Israeli unilateral actions must be a requirement, and the international community must push the peace process forward by all possible means, including by restructuring the Quartet and adding new members to it, as well as by holding an international peace conference. The Security Council must uphold its responsibility to set a timeframe for a final status agreement. To resolve the deadlock, an OIC ministerial liaison team had begun working with the Quartet to add elements that would strengthen that body and advance the peace process, including through a set timetable to end the occupation and create a Palestinian State, he said. In addition, the OIC would continue to support the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights and the State of Palestine’s right to join United Nations organizations, including the International Criminal Court and the Human Rights Council, he said. The international community must do its part, boycotting Israeli settlements and their products. In the absence of a strong stance by the Security Council, the international community must set matters straight and stop treating Israel as a State above the law.Mr. Vavilov said the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict destabilized the Middle East, and Islamist extremists were exploiting it to solidify their political gains and recruit more supporters to extend their reach beyond the Arab world. Echoes of the conflict could be heard in the deadly raid on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. There was every reason to believe that the Arab Spring was a direct result of the conflict, whose severity now required urgent global attention. Last year’s war on Gaza had left more than 2,000 people dead and 11,000 injured, and had destroyed some 51,000 buildings and vital infrastructure, he said. Employees of United Nations agencies and international aid organizations could objectively convey the difficult and arduous recovery process. According to the World Bank, 43 per cent of the coastal strip’s 2 million people were now unemployed; among youth, that figure was 60 per cent. If Gazans were to join the ranks of the waves of Middle East and North African migrants searching for a better life elsewhere, they too would become easy prey for extremist recruiters.But there was no point in expecting any initiatives to resolve those matters from the United States, where President Barack Obama was already a “lame duck”, he said. As such, international solidarity and efforts were urgently needed to achieve international security. All nations should form a common front against attempts to revive a medieval Caliphate and its obsolete customs. He said the main task now to achieve the two-State solution was to re-start peace talks, including by expanding the Quartet’s efforts and those of the United Nations, as well as by holding an international conference. To ensure success of the peace process, all the achievements from previous negotiations must be built upon. Most importantly, the parties to the conflict must not attack each other, but instead go the distance to reach compromise on the most burning, seemingly insurmountable problems. Ending the conflict, or at least subduing its acuteness, rather than just managing it, was key. Ms. Prozorova noted, however, that in a recent opinion poll in Palestine, 79 per cent of Palestinians said they did not believe the conflict would end soon. The international community, including non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations, therefore must advocate for that goal. With the Arab Peace Initiative, the Arab world had declared with one voice its commitment to live with Israel in peace and friendship.Today, against a difficult backdrop in the region — including concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme and civil wars in Syria and Yemen — the initiative had taken on greater meaning, she said. Echoing the call yesterday by Morocco’s delegate to combat extremist groups, she said that in order to do that it was vital to step up collective mediation efforts and bolster the Quartet, which was inadequate to address today’s realties. That body, she said, had been sharply criticized for being ineffective — a judgement the Quartet’s Russian member had acknowledged as justified in part. The Russian Federation had suggested that the body work closely with representatives of the League of Arab States and in close coordination with other regional players. In a February statement, Quartet members referred to regular and direct interaction with the Arab States in preparing for resumed peace talks, as a way to achieve greater balance among negotiating partners. Proposals had also been put forth to involve China and India, she said, stressing the need to end United States dominance in the Middle East.Continuing, she said international negotiators must employ the entire “arsenal” of moral, political, economic and humanitarian negotiating tools, as well as a boycott of Israeli settlements to curb settlement activity, end Israel’s blockade, and advance the peace process. Reminding Israel of its moral obligation might be an effective way to push the country’s leadership towards consensus. Until recently, there had been a deficit of global involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as the world shifted its attention to Iran and strife-torn areas in other parts of the region, she said. Lately, some on the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee had spoken of the existence of a common front among Arab countries to fight Iranian influence in the region. That was a myth which must be dispelled. Another obstacle was Israeli citizens’ lack of a clear understanding of the existing peace proposals and their prospects for success. A scant 10 per cent of the Israeli public had some knowledge of the Arab Peace Initiative.Ms. Shainskaya agreed that Israelis had little if no understanding of that at present. A Ukrainian-born Israeli, she first visited the Qalandia checkpoint between the northern West Bank and Jerusalem in 2002 and saw Palestinians, tired, humiliated and waiting for hours in the cold to go to work, school or to the doctor. The experience shocked her; seeing how Palestinians lived changed her life and instilled in her a deep commitment to Middle East peace and a sincere concern for the destiny of the Palestinian people and the Jewish State.Seventy-five per cent of Israelis were born after the start of the occupation and considered the occupation to be normal, she said. While they lived in freedom and democracy, millions of Palestinians were subjected to all forms of harassment and restrictions on their movement and voting rights. The Israeli Government was adhering to the status quo and dismissing as superfluous any efforts to reach a permanent agreement based on the “land for peace” principle and an end to the occupation. Since assuming office, the Netanyahu Administration had constantly reiterated its reservations to comply with international calls for a withdrawal from the Occupied Territory, ignored the Annapolis Joint Declaration and the road map, and refused to acknowledge the Arab Peace Initiative. She said that recent opinion polls conducted in Israel and Palestine by Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah reiterated that most people on both sides desired peace through a negotiated two-State solution based on 1967 borders, although the percentage was down from 62 per cent to 51 per cent for Israelis and 54 per cent to 51 per cent for Palestinians as compared with 2014. At the same time, consistent with previous results, each side perceived the other as a threat to its very existence.The Israeli Government had made security its top priority, but its activity was in fact endangering Israel, she said. Preoccupied with Iran’s nuclear programme and its ramifications for Israel’s defence, the Administration was building barriers and destroying any advances in the peace process. In the meantime, the United Nations was regarded in Israel as a cynical “automatic majority” machine to be used against Israel under any circumstances. The Israeli electorate voted for hawkish Governments in part due to fear of being left exposed to the dangers of total international isolation.Moreover, she said, while United States President Barack Obama had told Israelis “You are not alone, in isolation” and “I believe that you have a true partner in President [Mahmoud] Abbas and Prime Minister [Salam] Fayyad,” the absence of that sentiment at the United Nations had fuelled the stalemate in the Middle East. Netanyahu had to understand that the two-State solution was the best and practical way to end the long-standing conflict. At the same time, the United Nations should follow President Obama’s lead and extend to Israel a message of recognition and acceptance. A prominent Arab leader, perhaps the President of Egypt, should visit Israel and promote the aims of the Arab Peace Initiative. Shedding light on France’s role in fostering Palestinian statehood, Mr. Roger stressed that it was time for France to “face its responsibilities and to officially recognize the State of Palestine”. In December 2014, the French Senate adopted a resolution calling on the French Government to do so. Soonafter, the French National Assembly adopted a similar draft, prompted by Mr. Roger’s appeal in Le Monde newspaper. Also last year, France voted in favour of the failed resolution in the United Nations Security Council demanding an end to Israel’s occupation before 2018. In 2012, France voted in favour of the United Nations General Assembly’s resolution granting the State of Palestine non-member observer State status, after supporting Palestine’s entry as a full member into the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2011.Despite such moves, and the historic Oslo Agreement penned 20 years ago by Israel and Palestinian leaders, peace remained elusive. “This dream, destroyed by broken promises on both sides, will never see the light of day if nothing is done to bring the conflicting parties together,” he said. The French Parliament’s resolutions were a first step towards creating an equal relationship between Israel and Palestine and making the latter’s recognition a prerequisite for genuine negotiations, he said. They also reinforced moves by Sweden and other European Union members to recognize the Palestinian State, as well as the European Parliament’s recognition in December 2014 and its “Parliamentarians for Peace” initiative aimed to bring together European, Israeli and Palestinian legislatures to advance peace prospects.France — a main contributor of aid to Palestine — must lead its Quartet partners towards a new dynamism, he said, stressing that recognition of a Palestinian State was the only viable choice for both sides. “It would be a message to democrats, whether Palestinian or Israeli, to encourage to them in their fight for peace and let them know that their fight is likely to succeed.” For his part, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius was facilitating submission of a draft resolution to the Security Council aimed at resolving the conflict, he said. The text would, among other things, call for creation of such a State based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital; a border control plan to ensure security for both sides; the full and phased withdrawal of the Israeli army; and fair, balanced and realistic compensation for Palestinian refugees. If the United States opposed the text, an international conference would be organized in Paris, with a set deadline for negotiations, under the supervision of the Arab League, the European Union and the “Group of Five”, comprising Germany, the United States, France, Japan and the United Kingdom, he said.-Discussion-When the floor was opened for questions and comments, the Officer-in-Charge of the Division for Palestinian Rights asked the panellists if they shared the view expressed by an expert the previous day that the Arab Peace Initiative should be implemented in stages, and also asked what could be done to better promote awareness of the initiative in Israel.Mr. BAKR said there had been many attempts over the years, including the most recent initiative of United States Secretary of State John Kerry in 2014. It would be unfair to the Palestinians to divide the peace process into stages. Rather, the international community must pressure Israel to implement the already agreed aims. OIC countries were ready to recognize Israel along 1967 borders. “We have made enough resolutions and efforts in the past years. What we need now is implementation,” he said.Ms. SHAINSKAYA noted that following consultations a decade ago with Palestinians and Jordanians, civil society groups had agreed to publish the Arab Peace Initiative in Hebrew and to include it in the weekend edition of Israeli newspapers. Still, Israelis overall had doubts about the initiative and public discourse on it was negligible.The representative of Jordan said Jordanian diplomacy had focused on generating awareness of the productive aspect of peace. What was really lacking among Israeli leadership was a belief in peace and the political will and courage to achieve it.The representative of Bolivia strongly supported the Palestinian people’s struggle and condemned the colonial practices of Israel. She asked if the international community was held hostage by the Council’s resolutions, waiting for that body’s members to act.The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied since 1967 welcomed the French Senate’s initiative to advance the peace process and asked if France’s draft proposal to the Council included a set timetable for Israel’s withdrawal from the Territory.Mr. ROGER said a “Quartet Plus”, including Quartet members as well as Arab and other regional actors, must be put together. The support of the United States and the European Union was vital, including for holding an international conference. The advancing reality of the Islamic State also must be dealt with; Israel could not assume it would maintain security in that context.Ms. PROZOROVA said simply expanding the Quartet’s membership indefinitely was not helpful; what was needed was a balanced formula that would lead to consensus among members. The Russian Federation was promoting active ties with regional actors, including the OIC. A mediator must be effective and have a commitment from the requesting parties. Ms. SHAINSKAYA said the key was to fight the public’s fears before people voted.Mr. VAVILOV said diplomats could achieve a lot. It was not accurate to say negotiations were starting from scratch. In fact, much had been accomplished already and a range of legal and diplomatic tools existed; they must be implemented. It was necessary to bring in any actors that could have influence on the parties.The representative of Morocco said that a Council resolution was important, but there had already been enough resolutions. What was needed was implementation of existing agreements.Mr. ROGER said the France’s Senate Foreign Relations and Defence Committees were kept informed about the Government’s efforts on the draft United Nations Security Council resolution. Should the Council adopt the text, and should there be no permanent solution in 18 months, the French Government would immediately recognize the Palestinian State. If it was not adopted, France would seek the support of other countries, including the Russian Federation, to organize an international peace conference.Palestinian issues-For information media. Not an official record.
EU code on Israel settler exports expected by December By Andrew Rettman-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, 11. Sep, 09:25-Diplomats expect the EU to publish its guide on retail labels for Israeli settler exports by December.The European Commission, whose lawyers are writing it, told EUobserver it’s still “a work in progress” and declined to give a date.EU foreign relations chief Federica Mogherini, who’s giving political guidance, recently said the “work is coming to a close”.Her spokeswoman also declined to give a date.But the institutions are coming under pressure from the 16 EU states which, in April, signed a letter to Mogherini urging progress.One EU diplomat predicted it will come “by the end of September”. A second diplomat from the group of 16 said it’s expected “in autumn”. A third one said: “We’re asking, every month, what’s the latest timing?”.A fourth diplomat said the EU has tacit US approval and a US precedent.“Similar labelling rules already exist in the US, but almost nobody knows about them. We just recently stumbled across the US code”.The European Parliament, on Thursday (9 September), also added pressure.A landside of 525 MEPs voted Yes to a resolution saying settler products require “differentiation” and “encouraging” the Commission to publish.It’s been a long time coming.Member states tasked EU institutions with it in May 2012. Some of the EU consumer labelling laws on which it’s based date back 15 years.The issue itself goes back to 1967, when Israel conquered Palestine’s West Bank and Syria’s Golan Heights, and settlers began to build farms and factories.Sneak preview-EU sources say the code will be a short “interpretative note”, which references existing EU consumer law, and which will be published in the bloc’s Official Journal.A 2013 internal note drafted by the EU foreign service, and seen by EUobserver, gives a preview of what it’ll say.“The main principle behind labelling legislation is that the consumer has the right to an informed choice, and hence labelling must not be misleading”, the 2013 note explains.It says origin labels are, under EU law, “already mandatory” on food and cosmetics.It lists the food items as: fresh fruit and vegetables; wine; honey; beef and veal; olive oil; eggs; poultry from third countries; organic products; and fresh meat from swine, poultry, sheep, and goats.It says EU states can “voluntarily” put origin labels on “non-food/industrial” goods, for instance, Israeli firm Sodastream’s fizzy-drink gadgets, which are made in the West Bank.It adds: “When labelling is mandatory, the geographical origin must be correctly included in the label. When it is voluntary, traders are free to decide whether they want to display the origin on the label, unless omission of that information would mislead the consumer as to the true origin of the product. If the origin is indicated, the information must be correct so as not to mislead the consumer”.-EU precedents-Prior action by Belgium, Denmark, and the UK also indicates what the EU code will say.Belgium’s guidelines, published last year, “recommend” that settler products should be labelled “Product from the Golan Heights (Israeli settlement)” or “Product from the West Bank (Israeli settlement)”.If Palestinians made them, they should be labelled “Product from the West Bank (Palestinian product)”.Denmark, in 2012, told retailers: “Food from the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories must not be labelled with ‘Israel’ as the country of origin”.It recommended “Origin: West Bank (Israeli settlement product)” or “West Bank (Palestinian product)”.The UK, in 2009, said retailers should use “Produce of the West Bank (Israeli settlement produce)” or “Produce of the West Bank (Palestinian produce)”.It noted that if retailers label settler exports “Produce of Israel” they’re “almost certainly committing an offence”.-Trade impact-The EU-level code will have little direct impact on trade.The EU, last year, imported €30 billion of Israeli goods. The Commission doesn’t know how much of it came from settlers, but its best guess is “a marginal percentage”.The World Bank, in 2012, estimated that EU settler imports are worth €230 miilion a year.On past form, the UK code, six years ago, prompted a handful of shops to stop selling settler products.But the Belgian, British, and Danish action didn’t cause mass boycotts.None of the three countries have a compliance mechanism in place or keep data on the impact.A Danish source said Copenhagen did it mainly to “raise the political profile” of the issue.A Belgian source said its code amounts to little in reality. “I don’t know about you, but I simply don’t bother to read all the labels on products I buy. Too much info (calories, salt content - who cares?) and the print is too small anyway”, he told this website.Political impact-The impact on EU-Israel relations could be ugly, however. Mogherini communications people predict a “tsunami” of Israeli complaints.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in London on Thursday, compared it to anti-semitism on the eve of World War II.“We already have a historical memory as to what happened when Europe marked products of Jews”, he said.An EU source noted the code was “very important” for Netanyahu when he met EU Council president Donald Tusk in Jerusalem on Tuesday.Danny Ayalon, an Israeli diplomat, in a Facebook post on Monday, also feted Israeli firm Bazelet Hagolan, which makes wine in Syria’s Golan Heights, for “challenging” what he called “this [EU] boycott”.The company has shipped 4,000 bottles of wine to Europe stamped, on the cap, with a blue Star of David.“This sends a clear message to the BDS [boycott] movements in Europe: The Jewish people are not occupiers in their eternal homeland”, Ayalon said.-Timing-The Commission’s official line is “there’s no particular moment for releasing it [the code] and there’s no linkage to any particular event”.Since the code is based on old laws, it doesn’t need an EU Council decision to go ahead.But given its sensitivity, EU diplomats expect Mogherini to consult EU embassies or EU foreign ministers prior to publication.One reason for not doing it in September is a new EU initiative to restart Arab-Israeli peace talks.Mogherini, in the margins of the UN assembly in New York this month, aims to launch an enlarged version of the Quartet, the UN group handling the peace process.It includes the EU, the Russia, the UN, and the US. Mogherini, on the basis of a French proposal in July, wants to add Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.She told MEPs on Wednesday there’s a “deep lack of trust” between Israel and Palestine which must be rebuilt via “confidence- building” measures.But some of her staff believe the EU retail code will see Israel “circle the wagons” against EU diplomacy.Diplomats say the EU might wait for the US Congress to first approve the Iran nuclear deal in order not to rock the boat.It might also wait for big Jewish holidays, such as Rosh Hashanah, on 24 September, or Yom Kippur, on 4 October, to go by in order “not to rub salt into the wound”.-Enforcement-The other question is to what extent the EU will enforce its code.The Commission and Mogherini say it’s “voluntary”, even though it’s mostly based on “mandatory” laws.When EUobserver asked if the EU has, ever, launched infringement proceedings against EU countries for non-compliance on origin labels, an EU official said: “No Commission action on non-application with regard to labelling of Israeli settlement products took place”.The EU is also likely to downplay the code politically.“The political imperative is to rhetorically downgrade it and to present it as as small a move as possible”, an EU source said.Another EU source noted that when the Commission, in 2013, published rules forbidding EU grants to Israeli settler entities it tried to be as quiet as possible.“It was also just applying existing EU laws”, the contact said.“But Israeli diplomats and Israeli media shot themselves in the foot by calling it ‘EU sanctions’, which stoked the debate on Israel’s legitimacy”.In numbers, the Israeli settler population has grown from almost nil in 1967 to more than half a million people.It’s grown by 20,000 a year since the EU, in 2012, decided to draft the code.The settler exports may be worth just €230 million a year.But Israeli occupation has crippled the Palestinian economy, with “Product from the West Bank (Palestinian product)” exports to the EU worth 15 times less.
PEACE PROCESS SUMMARY JULY 1&2 IN RUSSIA
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Migration and Middle East to top EU agenda at UN By Andrew Rettman-SEPT 14,15-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, Today, 18:22-The migrant crisis and the Middle East Peace Process will top the EU's agenda when world leaders meet in New York for the UN general assembly.The event begins on 28 September and lasts one week.This year's meeting will start with a special speech by Pope Francis, on 25 September, likely urging European countries to show compassion to Syrian refugees.It will see Palestine, a UN "observer state", hang its flag on the UN building for the first time in history.It will see Russian leader Vladimir Putin come for the first time in 10 years and shortly after invading Ukraine.It will also hear from other colourful speakers, such as Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe, the current chair of the African Union, and Sudan chief Omar al-Bashir, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.For his part, Council chief Donald Tusk got a good spot to speak on behalf of the EU - shortly before lunch on 29 September.But the big EU day is 30 September, when UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon chairs a high-level meeting on the migrant crisis, while EU foreign relations chief Federica Mogherini chairs an event on Middle East peace talks.The Ban Ki-moon meeting is to bring together leaders from EU "target" states, as well as Middle East and African migrant "transit" and "origin" countries. South-east Asian leaders might also attend."The EU's going to catch it [criticism] from all sides", a diplomatic source told EUobserver."This is a major event which will mark a milestone on the way to Valetta", he added, referring to an upcoming EU migration summit in Malta.-Quartet +The Mogherini meeting is to launch a new model for Arab-Israeli peace talks.The EU plan, based on a French proposal in July, is to enlarge the Quartet, the UN body dealing with the issue, to involve Arab states.The Quartet includes the EU, Russia, the UN, and the US.France said the "Quartet +" should involve: the five UN Security Council veto-holders (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US); Germany; Italy; Spain; Arab states; the EU; and the UN.Mogherini's event is to be limited to Quartet foreign ministers and their counterparts from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the Arab League only, however.-EU diplomats said the French blueprint was shot down at an informal EU ministers' meeting two weeks ago."Mogherini didn't like it because it would dilute the EU insitutions' role in the process", one contact said. A second source said the UN didn't like it for the same reason.The Quartet + project replaces an earlier French idea - a UNSC resolution giving Israel and Palestine a two-year deadline to come to terms.An EU source said the two-year plan "ran out of gas" in terms of international support, but could be revived if the Quartet + fails.Poverty, climate-In other EU events, European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans will, on 27 September, address a meeting on eradicating global poverty.Aid commissioner Neven Mimica is also taking part, but sources said Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker won't attend.On the same day, France will take centre stage at climate change talks ahead of the Paris summit in December.Mogherini will also co-chair a meeting on 29 September on how to get more humanitarian aid into Syria.-EU navies-Meanwhile, the UK will be angling for support for its draft resolution on the EU's anti-smuggler naval operation, EUnavfor Med.A contact familiar with the draft text said it aims to authorise military action in a limited maritime zone which connects Libyan waters to Italy.It also aims to allow EU navies to take migrants and suspected smugglers to Italy, where authorities will decide who merits asylum, who should be deported, and who should face criminal charges.The EU says it doesn't need UN Security Council (UNSC) approval for this phase of the operation.But a diplomatic contact said the UK, for one, wants "UNSC cover" in case clashes with smugglers cause "incidents", alluding to loss of life.
EU Exploring Broad Coalition to Push for Renewed Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations-EU to look at feasibility of new international group to build on core efforts of Middle East Quartet By Laurence Norman-Updated July 20, 2015 7:21 p.m. ET-WSJ
BRUSSELS—The European Union, which played a key role in securing the Iran nuclear deal, on Monday said it was now turning its attention to reviving peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians.The effort comes after U.S.-led negotiations collapsed in spring 2014 amid squabbles over Israeli settlements and Palestinian demands for prisoner releases.There has been growing frustration within the EU and elsewhere that the Middle East Quartet—a grouping of the EU, the U.S., Russia and the United Nations—has been unable to relaunch serious negotiations, fearing tensions in the region were intensifying.Some diplomats said the EU initiative was an effort to find a new formula for fueling negotiations—one that over time could effectively replace the Middle East Quartet.However, the EU’s foreign-policy chief, Federica Mogherini, played that down at a news conference, saying the initiative would build on work the EU had done with its partners to revitalize the Quartet and include more regional participants, including the Arab League and Gulf Cooperation Council.Ms. Mogherini has made a stepped-up EU role in the peace process a key foreign-policy goal since she took her post in November.Her first visit outside the bloc was to Israel and the Palestinian territories and she returned there in May shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won re-election.She said she would consult with regional and international partners on the feasibility of what EU foreign ministers suggested would be an international support group for the peace process.“We need to build a framework—regional and international—that can lead to a more positive environment for the process to start,” she said.Ms. Mogherini said she would report back to EU foreign ministers on options in September. She said she would discuss the ideas with the Israeli and Palestinian leadership, as well as the U.S. and others.The Israeli mission to the EU on the proposal didn’t immediately comment.The EU initiative comes a week after the Iranian nuclear talks were concluded.The EU played a key role in those negotiations and last week’s final deal has raised Brussels’ confidence that it can play a major role on other high-profile international peace efforts.By contrast, the nuclear deal has made Washington anxious to reassure its allies that it wasn’t abandoning them. Israel and the Gulf States fear the nuclear deal will expand Tehran’s regional sway and do little in the long term to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons.On Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Israeli defense chiefs sought to ease the rift over the Iran deal, saying they wouldn’t let it get in the way of expanded cooperation against threats posed by Iran’s proxies, particularly Hezbollah.The State Department didn’t respond to a request for comment.The bloc’s ties with Israel remain strained. There was widespread criticism of Mr. Netanyahu’s comments ahead of the Israeli election that questioned whether an independent Palestinian state was acceptable. The Israeli leader said soon after that he still believed in a two-state solution, but his comments led to a White House warning that Washington could reassess its Middle East policy.The EU again slammed Israeli settlement building on Monday, saying it was undercutting a two-state peace solution and that it stood “ready to take further action…to protect the viability of the two-state solution.”Mr. Netanyahu has criticized what he calls foreign interference in what he says should be a bilateral discussion between Israel and the Palestinians.With peace talks stalled and the situation in Gaza deteriorating, France has stepped up pressure for international efforts to force a solution. Paris has started discussions on a U.N. Security Council resolution that would guide negotiations that could lead to an independent Palestinian state and include a time frame for talks to end the conflict.Those efforts were put on hold in the final weeks of the nuclear talks and French officials have said they are consulting with the U.S. and other partners on the wording of a resolution in a bid to build consensus. The U.S. has in the past threatened to veto efforts to impose a peace solution on the parties.Speaking Monday morning on his arrival in Brussels, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the peace process is “on its death bed,” adding, “The situation is bad. Europe must help the two sides take initiatives to get out of this stalemate.”Write to Laurence Norman at laurence.norman@wsj.com
2 July 2015-GA/PAL/1339-Revitalizing Middle East Quartet, Implementing Arab Peace Initiative, Ensuring Security Council Leadership Key to Two-State Solution, Moscow Meeting Told-General Assembly-Press Release
MOSCOW, 2 July — Experts called for an expansion of the Middle East Quartet, implementation of the Arab Peace Initiative and greater awareness of it in Israel, and a Security Council resolution setting a timetable to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as the United Nations International Meeting in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace continued in Moscow this morning.Entitled “international efforts to achieve the two-State solution”, the session opened the second day of the two-day Meeting, convened by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to explore ways to foster the conditions needed for a successful political process and review international efforts to achieve the two-State solution.Addressing the plenary session were Samir Bakr, Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine Affairs of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in Jeddah (OIC); Gilbert Roger, Senator of the Socialist Party of France, Vice President of the Foreign Affairs Committee and President of the France-Palestine Friendship Group; Galina Prozorova, Leading Researcher of the Centre for Eurasian Studies at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow; Alla Shainskaya, Member of the Executive Committee and President of the Congress of Meretz Party in Tel Aviv; and Alexander Vavilov, Professor in the Department of Diplomatic and Consular Service at the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow.Mr. Bakr said that since its founding in 1969, the OIC had adopted several proposals and resolutions annually declaring its member States’ unanimous support for the rights of the Palestinian people and the two-State solution. The peace initiative launched in Fez, Morocco, in 1982 by the League of Arab States was an important milestone, as it was the first time recognition of Israel was proposed and in which Arab States declared their acceptance of an independent State of Palestine along 1967 borders. The fourth Islamic Summit Conference in 1984 endorsed that initiative, and OIC members pledged to employ all means to implement it. The OIC recognized various peace initiatives, he said, among them the 1991 Madrid Conference, the 1993 Oslo Accords, the Middle East Quartet — formed in 2002 and comprising the United Nations, Russian Federation, United States and the European Union — and the road map that body subsequently presented. A blueprint for peace, the road map aimed to achieve a just, comprehensive peace by calling on Israel to withdraw fully from the territories it had occupied since 1967 and to implement a just resolution for Palestinian refugees. Despite international praise for the plan over the years, and the granting by the United Nations General Assembly of Palestine’s observer State status, Israel continued to flout international law, he said. It still controlled 62 per cent of the West Bank. Its unilateral decisions threatened to escalate violence, in effect destroying the two-State vision — and a historic opportunity to resolve the conflict. Moreover, Israel’s attempt to declare a fait accompli, even if it provided it temporary security, would not lead to enduring stability. “The picture is grim. Time is no longer a neutral element,” he said, noting that the passage of time enabled the occupying Power to continue settlement building in the West Bank and the judaization of Jerusalem, resulting in more hardship for the Palestinian people. The two-State solution was in the interest of all parties concerned, he said. An end to Israeli unilateral actions must be a requirement, and the international community must push the peace process forward by all possible means, including by restructuring the Quartet and adding new members to it, as well as by holding an international peace conference. The Security Council must uphold its responsibility to set a timeframe for a final status agreement. To resolve the deadlock, an OIC ministerial liaison team had begun working with the Quartet to add elements that would strengthen that body and advance the peace process, including through a set timetable to end the occupation and create a Palestinian State, he said. In addition, the OIC would continue to support the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights and the State of Palestine’s right to join United Nations organizations, including the International Criminal Court and the Human Rights Council, he said. The international community must do its part, boycotting Israeli settlements and their products. In the absence of a strong stance by the Security Council, the international community must set matters straight and stop treating Israel as a State above the law.Mr. Vavilov said the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict destabilized the Middle East, and Islamist extremists were exploiting it to solidify their political gains and recruit more supporters to extend their reach beyond the Arab world. Echoes of the conflict could be heard in the deadly raid on the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. There was every reason to believe that the Arab Spring was a direct result of the conflict, whose severity now required urgent global attention. Last year’s war on Gaza had left more than 2,000 people dead and 11,000 injured, and had destroyed some 51,000 buildings and vital infrastructure, he said. Employees of United Nations agencies and international aid organizations could objectively convey the difficult and arduous recovery process. According to the World Bank, 43 per cent of the coastal strip’s 2 million people were now unemployed; among youth, that figure was 60 per cent. If Gazans were to join the ranks of the waves of Middle East and North African migrants searching for a better life elsewhere, they too would become easy prey for extremist recruiters.But there was no point in expecting any initiatives to resolve those matters from the United States, where President Barack Obama was already a “lame duck”, he said. As such, international solidarity and efforts were urgently needed to achieve international security. All nations should form a common front against attempts to revive a medieval Caliphate and its obsolete customs. He said the main task now to achieve the two-State solution was to re-start peace talks, including by expanding the Quartet’s efforts and those of the United Nations, as well as by holding an international conference. To ensure success of the peace process, all the achievements from previous negotiations must be built upon. Most importantly, the parties to the conflict must not attack each other, but instead go the distance to reach compromise on the most burning, seemingly insurmountable problems. Ending the conflict, or at least subduing its acuteness, rather than just managing it, was key. Ms. Prozorova noted, however, that in a recent opinion poll in Palestine, 79 per cent of Palestinians said they did not believe the conflict would end soon. The international community, including non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations, therefore must advocate for that goal. With the Arab Peace Initiative, the Arab world had declared with one voice its commitment to live with Israel in peace and friendship.Today, against a difficult backdrop in the region — including concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme and civil wars in Syria and Yemen — the initiative had taken on greater meaning, she said. Echoing the call yesterday by Morocco’s delegate to combat extremist groups, she said that in order to do that it was vital to step up collective mediation efforts and bolster the Quartet, which was inadequate to address today’s realties. That body, she said, had been sharply criticized for being ineffective — a judgement the Quartet’s Russian member had acknowledged as justified in part. The Russian Federation had suggested that the body work closely with representatives of the League of Arab States and in close coordination with other regional players. In a February statement, Quartet members referred to regular and direct interaction with the Arab States in preparing for resumed peace talks, as a way to achieve greater balance among negotiating partners. Proposals had also been put forth to involve China and India, she said, stressing the need to end United States dominance in the Middle East.Continuing, she said international negotiators must employ the entire “arsenal” of moral, political, economic and humanitarian negotiating tools, as well as a boycott of Israeli settlements to curb settlement activity, end Israel’s blockade, and advance the peace process. Reminding Israel of its moral obligation might be an effective way to push the country’s leadership towards consensus. Until recently, there had been a deficit of global involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as the world shifted its attention to Iran and strife-torn areas in other parts of the region, she said. Lately, some on the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee had spoken of the existence of a common front among Arab countries to fight Iranian influence in the region. That was a myth which must be dispelled. Another obstacle was Israeli citizens’ lack of a clear understanding of the existing peace proposals and their prospects for success. A scant 10 per cent of the Israeli public had some knowledge of the Arab Peace Initiative.Ms. Shainskaya agreed that Israelis had little if no understanding of that at present. A Ukrainian-born Israeli, she first visited the Qalandia checkpoint between the northern West Bank and Jerusalem in 2002 and saw Palestinians, tired, humiliated and waiting for hours in the cold to go to work, school or to the doctor. The experience shocked her; seeing how Palestinians lived changed her life and instilled in her a deep commitment to Middle East peace and a sincere concern for the destiny of the Palestinian people and the Jewish State.Seventy-five per cent of Israelis were born after the start of the occupation and considered the occupation to be normal, she said. While they lived in freedom and democracy, millions of Palestinians were subjected to all forms of harassment and restrictions on their movement and voting rights. The Israeli Government was adhering to the status quo and dismissing as superfluous any efforts to reach a permanent agreement based on the “land for peace” principle and an end to the occupation. Since assuming office, the Netanyahu Administration had constantly reiterated its reservations to comply with international calls for a withdrawal from the Occupied Territory, ignored the Annapolis Joint Declaration and the road map, and refused to acknowledge the Arab Peace Initiative. She said that recent opinion polls conducted in Israel and Palestine by Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the Palestinian Centre for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah reiterated that most people on both sides desired peace through a negotiated two-State solution based on 1967 borders, although the percentage was down from 62 per cent to 51 per cent for Israelis and 54 per cent to 51 per cent for Palestinians as compared with 2014. At the same time, consistent with previous results, each side perceived the other as a threat to its very existence.The Israeli Government had made security its top priority, but its activity was in fact endangering Israel, she said. Preoccupied with Iran’s nuclear programme and its ramifications for Israel’s defence, the Administration was building barriers and destroying any advances in the peace process. In the meantime, the United Nations was regarded in Israel as a cynical “automatic majority” machine to be used against Israel under any circumstances. The Israeli electorate voted for hawkish Governments in part due to fear of being left exposed to the dangers of total international isolation.Moreover, she said, while United States President Barack Obama had told Israelis “You are not alone, in isolation” and “I believe that you have a true partner in President [Mahmoud] Abbas and Prime Minister [Salam] Fayyad,” the absence of that sentiment at the United Nations had fuelled the stalemate in the Middle East. Netanyahu had to understand that the two-State solution was the best and practical way to end the long-standing conflict. At the same time, the United Nations should follow President Obama’s lead and extend to Israel a message of recognition and acceptance. A prominent Arab leader, perhaps the President of Egypt, should visit Israel and promote the aims of the Arab Peace Initiative. Shedding light on France’s role in fostering Palestinian statehood, Mr. Roger stressed that it was time for France to “face its responsibilities and to officially recognize the State of Palestine”. In December 2014, the French Senate adopted a resolution calling on the French Government to do so. Soonafter, the French National Assembly adopted a similar draft, prompted by Mr. Roger’s appeal in Le Monde newspaper. Also last year, France voted in favour of the failed resolution in the United Nations Security Council demanding an end to Israel’s occupation before 2018. In 2012, France voted in favour of the United Nations General Assembly’s resolution granting the State of Palestine non-member observer State status, after supporting Palestine’s entry as a full member into the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2011.Despite such moves, and the historic Oslo Agreement penned 20 years ago by Israel and Palestinian leaders, peace remained elusive. “This dream, destroyed by broken promises on both sides, will never see the light of day if nothing is done to bring the conflicting parties together,” he said. The French Parliament’s resolutions were a first step towards creating an equal relationship between Israel and Palestine and making the latter’s recognition a prerequisite for genuine negotiations, he said. They also reinforced moves by Sweden and other European Union members to recognize the Palestinian State, as well as the European Parliament’s recognition in December 2014 and its “Parliamentarians for Peace” initiative aimed to bring together European, Israeli and Palestinian legislatures to advance peace prospects.France — a main contributor of aid to Palestine — must lead its Quartet partners towards a new dynamism, he said, stressing that recognition of a Palestinian State was the only viable choice for both sides. “It would be a message to democrats, whether Palestinian or Israeli, to encourage to them in their fight for peace and let them know that their fight is likely to succeed.” For his part, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius was facilitating submission of a draft resolution to the Security Council aimed at resolving the conflict, he said. The text would, among other things, call for creation of such a State based on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital; a border control plan to ensure security for both sides; the full and phased withdrawal of the Israeli army; and fair, balanced and realistic compensation for Palestinian refugees. If the United States opposed the text, an international conference would be organized in Paris, with a set deadline for negotiations, under the supervision of the Arab League, the European Union and the “Group of Five”, comprising Germany, the United States, France, Japan and the United Kingdom, he said.-Discussion-When the floor was opened for questions and comments, the Officer-in-Charge of the Division for Palestinian Rights asked the panellists if they shared the view expressed by an expert the previous day that the Arab Peace Initiative should be implemented in stages, and also asked what could be done to better promote awareness of the initiative in Israel.Mr. BAKR said there had been many attempts over the years, including the most recent initiative of United States Secretary of State John Kerry in 2014. It would be unfair to the Palestinians to divide the peace process into stages. Rather, the international community must pressure Israel to implement the already agreed aims. OIC countries were ready to recognize Israel along 1967 borders. “We have made enough resolutions and efforts in the past years. What we need now is implementation,” he said.Ms. SHAINSKAYA noted that following consultations a decade ago with Palestinians and Jordanians, civil society groups had agreed to publish the Arab Peace Initiative in Hebrew and to include it in the weekend edition of Israeli newspapers. Still, Israelis overall had doubts about the initiative and public discourse on it was negligible.The representative of Jordan said Jordanian diplomacy had focused on generating awareness of the productive aspect of peace. What was really lacking among Israeli leadership was a belief in peace and the political will and courage to achieve it.The representative of Bolivia strongly supported the Palestinian people’s struggle and condemned the colonial practices of Israel. She asked if the international community was held hostage by the Council’s resolutions, waiting for that body’s members to act.The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied since 1967 welcomed the French Senate’s initiative to advance the peace process and asked if France’s draft proposal to the Council included a set timetable for Israel’s withdrawal from the Territory.Mr. ROGER said a “Quartet Plus”, including Quartet members as well as Arab and other regional actors, must be put together. The support of the United States and the European Union was vital, including for holding an international conference. The advancing reality of the Islamic State also must be dealt with; Israel could not assume it would maintain security in that context.Ms. PROZOROVA said simply expanding the Quartet’s membership indefinitely was not helpful; what was needed was a balanced formula that would lead to consensus among members. The Russian Federation was promoting active ties with regional actors, including the OIC. A mediator must be effective and have a commitment from the requesting parties. Ms. SHAINSKAYA said the key was to fight the public’s fears before people voted.Mr. VAVILOV said diplomats could achieve a lot. It was not accurate to say negotiations were starting from scratch. In fact, much had been accomplished already and a range of legal and diplomatic tools existed; they must be implemented. It was necessary to bring in any actors that could have influence on the parties.The representative of Morocco said that a Council resolution was important, but there had already been enough resolutions. What was needed was implementation of existing agreements.Mr. ROGER said the France’s Senate Foreign Relations and Defence Committees were kept informed about the Government’s efforts on the draft United Nations Security Council resolution. Should the Council adopt the text, and should there be no permanent solution in 18 months, the French Government would immediately recognize the Palestinian State. If it was not adopted, France would seek the support of other countries, including the Russian Federation, to organize an international peace conference.Palestinian issues-For information media. Not an official record.
EU code on Israel settler exports expected by December By Andrew Rettman-EUOBSERVER
BRUSSELS, 11. Sep, 09:25-Diplomats expect the EU to publish its guide on retail labels for Israeli settler exports by December.The European Commission, whose lawyers are writing it, told EUobserver it’s still “a work in progress” and declined to give a date.EU foreign relations chief Federica Mogherini, who’s giving political guidance, recently said the “work is coming to a close”.Her spokeswoman also declined to give a date.But the institutions are coming under pressure from the 16 EU states which, in April, signed a letter to Mogherini urging progress.One EU diplomat predicted it will come “by the end of September”. A second diplomat from the group of 16 said it’s expected “in autumn”. A third one said: “We’re asking, every month, what’s the latest timing?”.A fourth diplomat said the EU has tacit US approval and a US precedent.“Similar labelling rules already exist in the US, but almost nobody knows about them. We just recently stumbled across the US code”.The European Parliament, on Thursday (9 September), also added pressure.A landside of 525 MEPs voted Yes to a resolution saying settler products require “differentiation” and “encouraging” the Commission to publish.It’s been a long time coming.Member states tasked EU institutions with it in May 2012. Some of the EU consumer labelling laws on which it’s based date back 15 years.The issue itself goes back to 1967, when Israel conquered Palestine’s West Bank and Syria’s Golan Heights, and settlers began to build farms and factories.Sneak preview-EU sources say the code will be a short “interpretative note”, which references existing EU consumer law, and which will be published in the bloc’s Official Journal.A 2013 internal note drafted by the EU foreign service, and seen by EUobserver, gives a preview of what it’ll say.“The main principle behind labelling legislation is that the consumer has the right to an informed choice, and hence labelling must not be misleading”, the 2013 note explains.It says origin labels are, under EU law, “already mandatory” on food and cosmetics.It lists the food items as: fresh fruit and vegetables; wine; honey; beef and veal; olive oil; eggs; poultry from third countries; organic products; and fresh meat from swine, poultry, sheep, and goats.It says EU states can “voluntarily” put origin labels on “non-food/industrial” goods, for instance, Israeli firm Sodastream’s fizzy-drink gadgets, which are made in the West Bank.It adds: “When labelling is mandatory, the geographical origin must be correctly included in the label. When it is voluntary, traders are free to decide whether they want to display the origin on the label, unless omission of that information would mislead the consumer as to the true origin of the product. If the origin is indicated, the information must be correct so as not to mislead the consumer”.-EU precedents-Prior action by Belgium, Denmark, and the UK also indicates what the EU code will say.Belgium’s guidelines, published last year, “recommend” that settler products should be labelled “Product from the Golan Heights (Israeli settlement)” or “Product from the West Bank (Israeli settlement)”.If Palestinians made them, they should be labelled “Product from the West Bank (Palestinian product)”.Denmark, in 2012, told retailers: “Food from the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories must not be labelled with ‘Israel’ as the country of origin”.It recommended “Origin: West Bank (Israeli settlement product)” or “West Bank (Palestinian product)”.The UK, in 2009, said retailers should use “Produce of the West Bank (Israeli settlement produce)” or “Produce of the West Bank (Palestinian produce)”.It noted that if retailers label settler exports “Produce of Israel” they’re “almost certainly committing an offence”.-Trade impact-The EU-level code will have little direct impact on trade.The EU, last year, imported €30 billion of Israeli goods. The Commission doesn’t know how much of it came from settlers, but its best guess is “a marginal percentage”.The World Bank, in 2012, estimated that EU settler imports are worth €230 miilion a year.On past form, the UK code, six years ago, prompted a handful of shops to stop selling settler products.But the Belgian, British, and Danish action didn’t cause mass boycotts.None of the three countries have a compliance mechanism in place or keep data on the impact.A Danish source said Copenhagen did it mainly to “raise the political profile” of the issue.A Belgian source said its code amounts to little in reality. “I don’t know about you, but I simply don’t bother to read all the labels on products I buy. Too much info (calories, salt content - who cares?) and the print is too small anyway”, he told this website.Political impact-The impact on EU-Israel relations could be ugly, however. Mogherini communications people predict a “tsunami” of Israeli complaints.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in London on Thursday, compared it to anti-semitism on the eve of World War II.“We already have a historical memory as to what happened when Europe marked products of Jews”, he said.An EU source noted the code was “very important” for Netanyahu when he met EU Council president Donald Tusk in Jerusalem on Tuesday.Danny Ayalon, an Israeli diplomat, in a Facebook post on Monday, also feted Israeli firm Bazelet Hagolan, which makes wine in Syria’s Golan Heights, for “challenging” what he called “this [EU] boycott”.The company has shipped 4,000 bottles of wine to Europe stamped, on the cap, with a blue Star of David.“This sends a clear message to the BDS [boycott] movements in Europe: The Jewish people are not occupiers in their eternal homeland”, Ayalon said.-Timing-The Commission’s official line is “there’s no particular moment for releasing it [the code] and there’s no linkage to any particular event”.Since the code is based on old laws, it doesn’t need an EU Council decision to go ahead.But given its sensitivity, EU diplomats expect Mogherini to consult EU embassies or EU foreign ministers prior to publication.One reason for not doing it in September is a new EU initiative to restart Arab-Israeli peace talks.Mogherini, in the margins of the UN assembly in New York this month, aims to launch an enlarged version of the Quartet, the UN group handling the peace process.It includes the EU, the Russia, the UN, and the US. Mogherini, on the basis of a French proposal in July, wants to add Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.She told MEPs on Wednesday there’s a “deep lack of trust” between Israel and Palestine which must be rebuilt via “confidence- building” measures.But some of her staff believe the EU retail code will see Israel “circle the wagons” against EU diplomacy.Diplomats say the EU might wait for the US Congress to first approve the Iran nuclear deal in order not to rock the boat.It might also wait for big Jewish holidays, such as Rosh Hashanah, on 24 September, or Yom Kippur, on 4 October, to go by in order “not to rub salt into the wound”.-Enforcement-The other question is to what extent the EU will enforce its code.The Commission and Mogherini say it’s “voluntary”, even though it’s mostly based on “mandatory” laws.When EUobserver asked if the EU has, ever, launched infringement proceedings against EU countries for non-compliance on origin labels, an EU official said: “No Commission action on non-application with regard to labelling of Israeli settlement products took place”.The EU is also likely to downplay the code politically.“The political imperative is to rhetorically downgrade it and to present it as as small a move as possible”, an EU source said.Another EU source noted that when the Commission, in 2013, published rules forbidding EU grants to Israeli settler entities it tried to be as quiet as possible.“It was also just applying existing EU laws”, the contact said.“But Israeli diplomats and Israeli media shot themselves in the foot by calling it ‘EU sanctions’, which stoked the debate on Israel’s legitimacy”.In numbers, the Israeli settler population has grown from almost nil in 1967 to more than half a million people.It’s grown by 20,000 a year since the EU, in 2012, decided to draft the code.The settler exports may be worth just €230 million a year.But Israeli occupation has crippled the Palestinian economy, with “Product from the West Bank (Palestinian product)” exports to the EU worth 15 times less.
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