EU distances itself from Trump with ‘firm commitment’ to 2 states

In wake of U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, EU leaders say Israel, Palestinians must share city under two-state solution • Move seen as rebuke of U.S. policy • EU position on Jerusalem remains unchanged, says European Council president.

AP and Shlomo Cesana, ISRAEL HAYOM

In an apparent rebuke of U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, leaders of the 28-nation European Union reiterated Thursday their “firm commitment” to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and to their longstanding position that Jerusalem should be the capital of both Israel and a future Palestinian state.

The announcement was made by European Council President Donald Tusk, who is presiding over the leaders’ summit in Brussels.

“EU leaders reiterate firm commitment to the two-state solution and, in this context, the EU position on Jerusalem remains unchanged,” he tweeted.

On Dec. 6, Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and announced that the U.S. would relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The declaration was a sharp departure from decades of U.S. policy, which held that the fate of Jerusalem should be decided through negotiations.

Trump’s announcement sparked international uproar, setting off protests and demonstrations worldwide.

Israeli diplomats tried to derail the EU rebuke on Thursday, banking on the need for consensus for such statements to pass. But a Foreign Ministry official told Israel Hayom that Israel realized this would be almost impossible since the EU has long held those views on the peace process, as was made clear during Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit earlier this week to the EU headquarters in Brussels.

Netanyahu was told the organization was displeased with Trump’s statement and would issue its own statement to balance it out.