European Union High Representative Federica Mogherini has said that the EU was making efforts to start new negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.
Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday evening, Mogherini said there was no alternative to a two-state solution, stressing that the European Union was making efforts to provide “the appropriate international frameworks for the start of direct negotiations,” as reported by the German news agency.
“We are now working with the two sides on this, as well as with the Quartet, which includes the European Union, the United States, Russia and the United Nations,” she said.
With regards to the EU role to make this move a success, Mogherini underlined that the bloc was “determined to play a more active role with a political prospect for a two-state solution,” in light of US President Donald Trump’s decision to consider Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
She also suggested that the scope of negotiations could be extended to include important regional players, such as Jordan and Egypt. Other important partners, such as Norway, could also be included, as the Norwegian capital Oslo had witnessed the first peace process in 1993.
“We believe that Jerusalem should be the capital of two states: West Jerusalem for Israel and East Jerusalem for Palestine,” Mogherini said, stressing that reaching this goal would be achieved only through direct negotiations.
“No other solution can be permanent,” she stated.
