The Prime Minister, Charles Michel, is of the view, “The European Union’s ambition should be to play a more committed role” to resolve the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. This came during his meeting with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. The meeting, which was “fruitful and useful”, lasted more than an hour.
The Prime Minister condemned the statements of the American President, Donald Trump, who had acknowledged Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He mentioned to Mr Abbas that the Belgian parliament had given a mandate to the Belgian government to acknowledge Palestine, at the appropriate moment. Mr Michel, interviewed by the Belga press agency, said, “It is a matter upon which lines are shifting.”
Charles Michel indicated to the Palestinian President that he wished to see the European Union play a more significant diplomatic and economic role, thus enabling assistance to the Palestinians and Israel in the peace process. The Prime Minister stated, “Belgium had asked for the matter to be placed on the European Council agenda in December.” He went on, “I wish to keep it at the top of the agenda, by discussing it repeatedly and regularly in Council meetings.”
Both men had an exchange of views on the situations in Iran and Turkey. The Prime Minister also “expressed his disapproval” in relation to the school financed through Belgian cooperation, which had taken the name of a Palestinian terrorist. His entourage remains hopeful for a quick resolution to the situation.
The Brussels Times
