The Prime Minister, Charles Michel, had a meeting today (Tuesday) at midday with his Israeli counterpart, Benyamin Netanyahu, in Jerusalem. The two heads of government were scheduled to approach various points, during a meeting which comes the day after the vote on a law disparaged by the international community.
Unusually, both prime ministers spoke briefly to the press before their meeting. Mr Netanyahu insisted upon the importance of cooperation in the economic sphere, in particular technology, and the fight against terrorism.
In a highly succinct manner, Netanyahu also approached the peace process between the Israelis and Palestinians. This is now even more impossible, owing to the vote on the law legalising colonisation on private lands on the occupied West Bank.
He says the process is falling down due to a “simple truth”: the refusal of Palestinians to acknowledge Israel as a Jewish state. In his eyes, this acknowledgement constitutes the first stage on the road map to peace.
For his part, the Belgian Prime Minister emphasised the good relationship between Belgium and Israel. Hence, it is possible to have “an open exchange of views,” he stressed.
Mr Michel will now meet his Palestinian counterpart, Rami Hamdallah, in Ramallah this afternoon.
The Brussels Times
