Luxembourg urges EU debate on Palestine recognition
December 10, 2019, 10:20 am

Luxembourg urges EU debate on Palestine recognition

EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell (R) talks to Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn during a EU Foreign Ministers council in Brussels, Belgium, December 9, 2019. (Reuters)

Luxembourg on Monday asked for an EU-level debate on recognizing Palestinian statehood, securing a promise that EU foreign ministers would “deeply discuss” the Middle East in January.

In a note to the new EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell, who took office last week, Luxembourg’s veteran foreign minister Jean Asselborn said a discussion could support efforts to find a “two-state” solution to the Middle East conflict.

The letter, seen by AFP during an EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Monday, suggests that member states could debate recognition at a future get-together.

Any decision on establishing diplomatic relations with a new state would be taken by individual member states, but Asselborn wants an EU-level discussion at the least.

“The European Union must continue to promote and support the consensus in favor of the two-State solution,” Asselborn wrote to Borrell, who was Spain’s foreign minister before moving to Brussels.

“One way to help save this solution would be to create a more equitable situation for both parties.”

“In this regard, I believe that it is time to start a debate within the European Union on the opportunity of a recognition of the State of Palestine by all its Member States.”

After the meeting, Borrell told reporters that ministers had agreed to add a discussion of the situation in the Middle East and the peace process to the agenda for their next gathering in January.

Israel and its ally the United States oppose the recognition of Palestine as a state, arguing that this would prejudice efforts to find a lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.

But, to some European capitals, Washington has already put its finger on the scales by recognizing the divided city of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and by moving its embassy from Tel Aviv.

In his letter, Asselborn complains that Israel’s building of settlements on occupied land also endangers the peace process and is a “flagrant violation” of international law.

“The recognition of Palestine as a State would neither be a favor, nor a blank cheque, but a simple recognition of the right of the Palestinian people to their own State,” he argued.

“In no way would it be directed against Israel.”

There is sympathy for this position in Europe, but the EU has not taken a united position on Palestinian statehood, regarding it as an issue for member states.

source : AFP, Brussels

Erdogan says Turkey aims to settle one mln refugees in Syria offensive area GCC leaders arrive in Riyadh for 40th Summit

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”