EU official: Peace talks must include right of return

Speaking ahead of international peace conference, European Union spokeswoman says EU supports Arab initiative in full, and will demand right of return be included in all negotiations between Israel and Palestinians; calls on Arab League to step up involvement in talks

Ronny Sofer YNET Published: 10.10.07, 15:53 / Israel News

BRUSSELS – The right of return must be included in all negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, a senior spokeswoman for the European Union told Israeli reporters in Brussels on Wednesday.

Christiane Hohmann said the EU supports the Arab initiative in full, including all of its clauses.

She added that the matter of the right of return of Palestinian refugees will be discussed in talks between the parties and that a widespread solution was needed to solve the deep conflict.

In response to the question whether the EU supports a withdrawal from the Golan Heights as part of the Arab initiative, Hohmann said the union supports the implementation of all relevant United Nations resolutions.

She also commented on the possibility that the EU become more involved in trying to solve the conflict in the region and said the solution should stem from within the Middle East.

The United States and the EU are already involved and the Arab League should also be involved, Hohmann said.

According to Hohmann, the Annapolis conference will include a number of EU representatives, including High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

On expectations for the Annapolis conference, Hohmann said the EU expects to see a document by both parties that defines how they plan to move forward on a realistic schedule.

Hohmann stressed that the EU plans to continue applying pressure on both parties in order to reach an agreement.

October 10, 2007 | 4 Comments »

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4 Comments / 4 Comments

  1. I did not know. As seen on the History Channel’s special on the Roman Coliseum: Apparently an inscription was found in the Roman Coliseum from a builder indicating that it had been erected with the wealth confiscated during the sacking of Jerusalem. The time-line is correct. Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD; it took ten years to build the Coliseum, which was dedicated in the early 80s AD.

    Omri Ceren would no doubt comment that it was the Jews’ fault that the Romans chose to entertain themselves with death. We financed the project. Had the Romans not been forced to conquer the world, they would not have been so adept at torture and destruction. And since the Jews put up such a good fight, they were the prime force in teaching the Romans to be brutal pigs.

    The wealth that accrued to Europe following the exile and murder of their Jewish population during WWII speaks to the purpose of the never-ending demand that Jews disappear. It is an economic issue. It is no wonder at all that Europe continues to play blood sport with Jewish lives even in the 21st century, perchance oil will flow more easily.

    Nonetheless, real Jews will continue to choose life. Leave death to the Muslims and their European toadies.

  2. What did I tell you? Munich 1938 all over again. The two-state solution has always been a sham, the “peace” process is a guise for dismantling Israel. Europe believes throwing Israel to the wolves will make it less of a target. It was Churchill who said: “An appeaser is someone who will feed a crocodile hoping it will eat him last”.

  3. This is so much nauseating bullcrap. Everyone tells Israel what to do and Israel seems to be jumping hoops to accomodate.

    How considerate of Israel not wanting to cause anyone a moment’s grief in spite of the fact that these others are only too willing to make life difficult or even worse, a living hell for Israel.

    Well, the way things are going, we can hope that some pretty nice things will be said at Israel’s funeral about how Israel was so good about committing suicide to make the world a happier place.

  4. There might be insight in Christiane Hohmann’s statement.

    Those citizens of the former European colonies MUST be allowed to immigrate to Europe with full citizenship.

    Ceuta, Spain (Morocco ??) can serve as an initial transit station. Can someone here ask HIAS to help set up the administrative facilities at Ceuta ?

    With the collapse of the Stability Pact, the EU collapsed, les the decay period.

    Of course, France, Britain and Germany must accept the RIGHT OF RETURN from their former colonies.

    Immediate benefits accrue to Belgium. The Congo’s Citizen Mobuto declared that Christmas would be celebrated in June. Thus, no need for warm wollen mittens when signing winter solstice carols.

    SIDEBAR: The late Guy Eid, Charge’d of the Belgium Embassy, Sudan was also murdered by order of Yasser Arafat when US Ambassador Cleo Noel was murdered. (US DCM George Curtis also murdered by PLO.)

    Kol tuv,

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