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EU Should Demand Same Peace-Building Measures from Palestinians as It Did Before Recognizing New States in Europe

(Jerusalem Post) Amichai Magen - An EU stance opposing a unilateral Palestinian declaration of independence will send a clear message that peace cannot be imposed; it must be built. Since the end of the Cold War, the EU has played a pivotal role in transforming the authoritarian countries of the former Soviet bloc and the Balkans into functioning democratic states. It has done so by taking a cautious, long-term view of peace-building, and by insisting that true peace and security depend on neighbors becoming the kind of states where stable democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and peaceful resolution of disputes are effectively guaranteed. Indeed, Europe would only recognize the new states that emerged from the breakdown of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia on condition that they respected democratic principles, tackled corruption, guaranteed human and minority rights, accepted arms control, and committed themselves to good relations with their neighbors. Giving a European hand to a Palestinian unilateral declaration of independence at this time would amount to a betrayal of these values. The writer is head of political development at the Institute for Counter-Terrorism at IDC Herzliya.
2011-09-06 00:00:00
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