Belgium initiates debate on Jerusalem in the European Council

Belgium initiates debate on Jerusalem in the European Council

Prime Minister Charles Michel requested that the issue of status of Jerusalem should be addressed at the European Summit that took place in Brussels yesterday, following president Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. "Belgium has always been in a position of a peace messenger and is engaged in a very balanced way between Israel and Palestine," Michel said when he arrived at the European Council.

The Belgian prime minister called for a reinforcement of European diplomacy in the Middle East. "Europe is Israel's first economic partner and also the first partner for the development of Palestine, so we need to be more engaged," he said, while reiterating his disapproval of Trump’s unilateral decision.

He also said that he was aware of that not all EU member states share Belgium’s position. If there were any differences of opinion at the summit, they are not disclosed in the open.

The final conclusions adopted last night by the European Council on Jerusalem only states that “EU reiterates its firm commitment to the two-state solution and, in this context, the EU position on Jerusalem remains unchanged.”


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