The European Union Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, on Tuesday, said the United States’ recently unveiled Middle East Peace Plan departs from internationally agreed parameters to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump presented a long-awaited proposal to address the bitter decades-long conflict at the core of tensions across the Middle East. Trump’s plan would give Israel control over Jewish settlements on the West Bank and the strategic Jordan Valley, while also calling for the creation of a Palestinian state. Borrell stressed the EU’s commitment to a two-state solution based on 1967 lines, with “equivalent” land swaps and the establishment of an independent, viable Palestinian state alongside Israel. The plan includes a lengthy timeline for the establishment of the Palestinian state and envisions limited sovereignty.

Source: Punch February 04, 2020 13:52 UTC