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The EU Constitutional Crisis, the Middle East, and Israel

(Institute for Contemporary Affairs/Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs)Manfred Gerstenfeld - The rejection of the proposed EU constitution in France and the Netherlands has weakened Europe's overall status and, as it enters a period of disarray, EU policies may become less threatening to Israel. Israel's bilateral political relations with individual EU members are often much more positive than with the EU. The more the EU becomes the final arbiter of European foreign policy, the more these positive trends are put at risk. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw clarified British policy ruling out diplomatic contacts with Hamas on 7 June 2005. Less than two weeks later, the EU notified the U.S. of a policy that permits European diplomats, below the ambassadorial level, to maintain contacts with Hamas members seeking election to the Palestinian parliament. The EU position had again watered down the British one. France's overall frustration about its reduced European role may well make it even more biased in its Middle East policies. While confronting France on more important issues, other EU members may, as a payoff, still be willing to go along with France's leadership in EU Middle East policy, which is a secondary matter for most EU members.
2005-06-24 00:00:00
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