The European parliament on Thursday urged both Israel and the Palestinians to resume their stalled direct peace talks without delay, reminding both parties that a speedy resolution of their decades-long conflict would serve in advancing their interests as well as that of the entire region.
In a resolution passed in a 291 to 274 vote with 39 abstentions, the MEPs urged both parties to resume talks on a two-state solution without delay. They also called on Israel to stop all construction and extension of settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which the EU views as illegal.
The resolution also urged Israel to meet its obligations under international humanitarian law by immediately ending house demolitions, evictions and forced displacement of Palestinians, facilitating their free movement, ensuring fair distribution of water to meet their needs and improving their access to social services.
Expressing particular concerns about the current situation in Area C of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the MEPs also encouraged Palestinian authorities to do more to improve living conditions in the two areas.
The MEPs also called for the proper enforcement of EU-Israeli bilateral agreements to ensure that goods from Israel's illegal West Bank settlements are not exported to the EU under the preferential terms of the EU-Israel Association agreement. They also called on the European External Action Service and the European Commission to investigate allegations of damage done to EU-funded structures in the occupied territories and report back to Parliament.
The MEPs reiterated that only a peaceful and non-violent solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be sustainable and noted it should not affect the dignity of either side. It was stressed the EU will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, unless agreed by the parties themselves.
The MEPs also demanded that the EU and its 27 member-states play a more active political role in achieving a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and voiced their support for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton's efforts to create credible prospects for re-launching the peace process.
Palestine and Israel resumed peace negotiations under the mediation of the United States in Washington in September 2010. The talks came after a gap of nearly two years, but ended in a deadlock as Israel refused to extend a construction freeze in the West Bank after its expiry on September 26, 2010.
Israel has since approved several plans to build new settler homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, ignoring strong objections from the international community. Palestinians insist they will return to peace negotiations only if Israel stops settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Israel has settled about 500,000 Jews in more than 100 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel's annexation of the captured area is not recognized by the international community, which considers building settlements in the occupied land as illegal.
Israel has been reminded of its obligation under the previously accepted 2003 peace plan mediated by the Middle East Quartet-- comprising the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia. Israel is required to dismantle settlement outposts erected since 2001 and freeze all settlement activities, while Palestinians are required to halt all violence against Israel. The plan is expected to ultimately lead to an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.