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Israel to Tell EU: We Won't Sign Agreements Based on Settlement Guidelines

(Ha'aretz) Barak Ravid - Israel will make it clear to the EU that it will not sign any future agreements that restrict European assistance, grants or investments in Israeli entities with a direct or indirect connection to the West Bank, east Jerusalem or the Golan Heights. Nor will Israel agree to include in agreements with the EU a territorial clause that requires it to acknowledge the fact that its sovereignty does not extend beyond the 1967 lines. The Israeli decision was made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday after extensive consultations with Cabinet members. The new EU guidelines regarding settlements will take effect beginning on Jan. 1. "We will not sign the guidelines in their present form," said a senior Israeli official. "On the other hand, we want to conduct negotiations with the EU so that the Horizon 2020 agreement for scientific cooperation, as well as other agreements, can in fact be implemented. If nothing changes it will be impossible to sign. We want to find a creative solution."
2013-08-09 00:00:00
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