E.U. won't press Israel on Barghouti
Ambassador to Israel confirms E.U. will not press Israel to release jailed Tanzim head Marwan Barghouti
The message was delivered in a press conference at the Dan Hotel in Tel Aviv when reporters pressed Cibrian-Uzal to spell the European position on the future of Barghouti, who was sentenced in Israel to five life sentences for his involvement
in terror attacks.
“It is Israel’s decision, as much as he had been sentenced there. We won’t interfere,” he said.
Asked to comment on E.U. talks with Iran to halt its nuclear activities, the ambassador said that no final decision has been made.
He added that if negotiations prove fruitless, the E.U. would endorse the referral of the Islamic theocracy to the United Nations Security Council.
The ambassador briefly outlined the E.U.’s policy in the region, saying that Brussels is inclined to send observers to monitor the general elections in the Palestinian territories slated for January.
Cibrian-Uzal added that if Hamas runs in the elections E.U. official will ensure contact with Hamas candidates be limited to issues pertaining to the elections, conforming that the Islamist group will remain on the E.U. list of terror groups “until some conditions change, namely a commitment from Hamas to solve the conflict through non-violent means.”
“There is contradiction in the actions of a group that will take part in the elections while possessing an armed militia. The final decision regarding the participation of Hamas is with the Palestinian Authority,” Cibrian-Uzal said.
The ambassador, Spanish by origin, who took office 11 months ago, said one of his top priorities is to improve the image of the E.U. in Israel, where most Israeli perceive the Union of being biased for the Palestinians.
“We achieved some progress on this front during this year, yet the road remains long,” he said.
