Saturday, December 19, 2009

Ayalon Warns EU: Israel will no longer be committed to agreements made after Oslo

(IsraelNN.com) Deputy Defense Minister Danny Ayalon said Saturday that if the European Union reaches a unilateral decision regarding Jerusalem, Israel will no longer be committed to agreements made after Oslo.

"Just as the Romans could not disconnect Israel from Jerusalem, so diplomats from the UN and the EU will not be able to do so,” he said. “If unilateral decisions are reached this will be a breaking of the rules and Israel will no longer be committed to agreements and arrangements made since Oslo.” In such a case, “Israel will have legitimacy to take unilateral steps,” he added.

Ayalon also spoke about the negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, “who refused to accept the far-reaching offers of the previous government, knows that he will not receive more than that from the present government,” he said.

Ayalon said that “it appears [Abbas] does not really want peace, and is trying to accuse Israel of refusing to push the peace process forward.”