It is not the first time that the EU’s High Representative has spoken candidly on the subject of Israeli settlement construction in East Jerusalem. Indeed, Ashton remarked in her maiden speech as the EU’s foreign policy chief that “East Jerusalem is occupied territory, together with the West Bank.”
Needless to say the remark caused a splash in Israel, where officials complained that Ashton new nothing of the situation in the occupied territories. (As noted below, Ashton’s Mideast travels have arguably changed this state of affairs.) It furthermore did not go unnoticed, that while European foreign ministers “took positive note” of the Israeli settlement freeze, Ashton merely viewed it as a “first step.” As always, the nuances are all important in diplomat-speak.
The city of Jerusalem’s plans to demolish 22 Palestinian homes to create a tourist center has been labeled an “obstacle to peace” by Ashton, and caused her to reiterate that the EU does not recognize Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem. This followed a more upbeat reaction to Israel’s recent announcement that it would loosen its blockade of Gaza.
Although the High Representative previously has been criticized for her slow reaction in traveling to Haiti to inspect the situation on the ground – not to mention her general lack of foreign policy experience – Ashton appears to have taken a special interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The British peer was one of the first high-level foreign politician allowed into Gaza after the Israeli raids in December 2009. Ashton later said what she saw was “shocking.”
Ashton’s personal interest aside, be it due to pressure on her to prove her mettle, or a consequence of her grassroots background, Ashton’s actions seem to be in tune with the mood on the streets of Europe, and as noted above have proven to be somewhat stronger than the reaction of many of the EU’s foreign ministers. Difficult as the Israeli-Palestinian situation may seem, this high-profile diplomatic mission could very well prove to be an opportunity for the High Representative to prove her worth.
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