Letter From Palestine

This is the ninth article in a new phase of the Strategic Europe 'Capitals Series', this time exploring how EU foreign policy was viewed by ten countries in Europe’s Southern neighbourhood. The series has asked contributors from each capital to give a candid assessment of the EU’s approach toward their country, with a ranking on a scale from 'irrelevant' to 'helpful'. The ninth article is from Palestine.

European relations with other countries in the region may be dominated by migration, terrorism, and oil, but in the case of Palestine and Israel, relations have always been primarily about justice (for Palestinians), security (for Israelis), and peace (for both). This is an equation that most Palestinians can accept as the least that Europe owes to the Palestinians to make amends for Europe’s colonial legacy.

However, perhaps, ultimately, EU nation-states are so beholden to the might of U.S. and Israeli influence in this area that European governments believe they can afford to ignore their own principles and goals with regard to Palestine. A sad state of affairs indeed

• Primary Source

EEAS: EU Around the Globe: Countries: Palestine http://eeas.europa.eu/palestine/index_en.htm

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