Javier Solana Challenges Catherine Ashton Over Israel

Curt Here...

Thanks to all the great watcher websites out there for bringing this very important news story to my attention.

Over the past year and a half since he "retired", former EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana has remained mainly out of the spotlight and has been working mostly in the shadows. Today's article reminds me why I and many other end time websites watched this man so closely for so long.

In the article posted below it reports that Javier Solana, along with 26 other former EU leaders have sent a signed letter to current EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, challenging her to set an ultimatum of April 2011 for Israel to fall into line and negotiate a peace deal with the Palestinians or see the EU seek an end to the existing US-led peace talks format in favor of a UN solution.

As you may know, the US has for several years now, led peace talks with Israel and the Palestinians in hope that these talks would produce two states living side by side in peace and security. These talks have continued to not bear fruit. Javier Solana in July of 2009 suggested that if peace talks failed that a Palestinian State should be formed by UN mandate.

It is clear that this is where the so called peace process is heading, and now, by Javier Solanas own words it would suggest that he is still a major player in this process.

Are we about to see Solana burst back on to the world scene? Does the seven year ENP agreement between the EU and Israel still a factor in this discussion. Is a Palestine State going to be forced on Israel by UN mandate and if so how will it be enforced (militarily)? Are we really that close to the end of days and the fulfillment of the end time prophecies and the return of Christ? I would suspect that between now and April 2011 many of these questions will begin to be answered.

Stay Tuned.

Curt

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Former EU leaders challenge Ashton on Israel

EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - A large group of former EU leaders and commissioners, including Catherine Ashton's predecessor Javier Solana, has urged the Union to take sanctions against Israel on settlements. But Ms Ashton's reply indicates the plea will go unheard.

The group in a letter to EU capitals and the leaders of the EU institutions on 6 December seen by EUobserver says that Israel "like any other state" should be made to feel "the consequences" and face "a price tag" for breaking international law by building thousands of new Jewish homes on Palestinian land.

It asks EU foreign ministers at a meeting in Brussels on 13 December to state as doctrine that the EU: "Will not recognize any changes to the June 1967 boundaries, and clarify that a Palestinian state should be in sovereign control over territory equivalent to 100 percent of the territory occupied in 1967, including its capital in East Jerusalem."

It also asks ministers to set an ultimatum of April 2011 for Israel to fall into line or see the Union seek an end to the existing US-led peace talks format in favour of a UN solution.

On top of this, the bloc should: officially link its informal freeze on an upgrade in EU-Irsael diplomatic relations to a settlement freeze; block imports of products made in settlements but labelled as made in Israel; make Israel pay the lion's share of aid to Palestine; send a high-level delegation to East Jerusalem to back Palestinian claims; and reclassify EU support for Palestine as "nation building" instead of "institution building."

The letter warns in a note of urgency that "time is fast running out" because "Israel's continuation of settlement activity ... poses an existential threat to the prospects of establishing a sovereign, contiguous and viable Palestinian state."

Criticising existing EU policy, it adds that tough action is "a matter of fundamental credibility" for the bloc, which risks deterioration in its ties with Arab trade partners. "The EU needs to act more pro-actively in its relations with the US, Israel and others to promote the fulfillment of this objective," it says.

The letter is signed by 26 notables including 10 former leaders of European countries, 10 former ministers and several former EU commissioners. The roll-call includes former German chancellor Helmut Schmid, former German president Richard von Weizsacker, one-time Spanish leader Felipe Gonzales, ex-EU commission president and Italian PM Romano Prodi and the UK's former EU commissioner Chris Patten. It also represents the first time that the forerunner of EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, Javier Solana, has come out of the wings to challenge the newcomer.

For more go here.