FOREIGN AFFAIRS EU-Israel

Reshaping a difficult relationship

By Toby Vogel - 14.05.2009 / 05:05 CET

The EU's relationship with Israel has been completely changed by recent events.

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ATTACKS Israel's war in Gaza in December was condemned by many European leaders. REUTERS

BACK IN POWER Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. REUTERS

Fact file

The next steps

Last December's commitment by EU foreign ministers to “upgrade” relations with Israel was never formally suspended but no steps to implement it were taken in practice, amounting to a “de facto suspension”, according to an EU official.
He said that ambassadors from EU member states who sit on the EU's security committee would “examine” the new Israeli position later this month and were very likely to back a resumption of the process.
The ambassadors were briefed on 5 May by Danny Ayalon, Israel's deputy foreign minister, on Israel's new policies on the peace process. EU foreign ministers, at their monthly meeting on 15 June, are likely to discuss the next steps in the process.