EU concerns over Israel's peace plans

The European Union expressed concern today that American support for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s unilateral peace plans could play into the hands of Palestinian extremists.

The EU foreign ministers debated the Middle East, including Iraq, highlighting concerns over Sharon's plans to partially withdraw Israeli troops and settlers from the West Bank.

“What is worrying is … there is an awful lot of Palestinians that have taken the view that their aspirations for a two state solution have been knocked on the head,” said EU External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten.

“It’s not very good if you want to encourage moderation in the Palestinian community.”

The EU ministers spent most of yesterday’s session discussing how they can keep both Israel and Washington committed to the 2002 “roadmap” peace plan that foresees a sovereign Palestinian state by 2005 and the removal of Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

They called on the “Quartet” – the EU, Russia, the United States, and the UN which drafted the ”road map”, to meet later this month.

“There are an awful lot of people in the Arab world on the whole who take the view that what this week means is that America has turned its back on what has been its policy for almost 40 years,” said Patten.

“There is an awful lot of damage to repair and I think we in Europe have to assist in doing that.”

While the EU has welcomed Sharon’s proposals to withdraw settlements and troops from the Gaza strip, they want to see the same in the West Bank.

The Palestinians are furious that Sharon’s plan, backed by Washington, will scuttle their dream of an independent state in all the West Bank and Gaza with a capital in east Jerusalem.

Sharon also opposes to absorb Palestinian refugees who were forced from their homes during the 1948 war.

The EU ministers were expected to issue a statement at the end of their weekend talks urging Israelis and Palestinians to stick to the peace plan.

“We have to make it clear that the elements of the roadmap are absolutely essential, if we are ever to have peace in the Middle East,” Patten said.

The ministers also discussed prospects for agreeing a new United Nations resolution that would boost the UN’s role in Iraq and support of an interim Iraqi government in Baghdad.

On Friday, Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen condemned recent hostage takings in Iraq and told reporters that the EU “looked forward” to a “growing role” for the UN in Iraq.

After their morning talks, the EU foreign ministers were to meet with their counterparts from 10 Asian nations, including China and Japan, to discuss closer economic and political ties.