Israel says EU can play bigger role

Suggesting a warming toward Europe, Israel’s foreign minister today said the EU should play a bigger role in the Mideast peace process while still urging a “more balanced approach” toward the Palestinians.

“I don’t accept the formula that has existed for many years, that Israel can live without Europe and Europe can live without Israel,” Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said after meeting his 25 European counterparts in Brussels.

“That’s why I’m encouraging the EU all the time to play a key role in the peace process and more than that, I’m trying to convince the Israelis that there is a change in the European Union.”

Israel has longed viewed the EU as biased in favour of the Palestinians and preferred to deal with Washington instead.

The EU insists it acts even-handedly - more so than the United States – and resents being sidelined.

As evidence of change, Shalom noted the EU’s first-time role as co-author, with the United States, Russia and the United Nations, of the current road map for Mideast peace.

The plan aims to end nearly three years of fighting, settle the generations-old conflict and create a Palestinian state by 2005.

Asked about the EU’s refusal to follow Israel and the United States in shunning Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Shalom said: “Among friends we can agree to disagree.”

EU officials welcomed Israel’s new tone. “It’s a very positive development,” said Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Diplomats attributed the development to a recognition in Israel that the “window of opportunity” offered by the road map should not be wasted.

“We have the feeling that they’re also very much aware of this,” an Italian foreign ministry spokesman said.

Shalom said he also urged his EU colleagues to “change their approach” to Israel in the United Nations

“If they will have a more balanced approach, I think it will be very important for them and for us and it will allow all of us to let them to play an important role in the peace process.”