Jerusalem at boiling point of polarisation and violence – EU report
Exclusive: Leaked report says city more divided than
at any time since 1967 and calls for consideration of tougher sanctions
over settlement building
An ultra Orthodox Jewish man pauses in front of the al-Aqsa mosque in
the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount complex. Photograph: Bernat
Armangue/Associated Press
A hard-hitting EU report on Jerusalem warns that the city has reached
a dangerous boiling point of “polarisation and violence” not seen since
the end of the second intifada in 2005.
Calling for tougher European sanctions against Israel
over its continued settlement construction in the city – which it
blames for exacerbating recent conflict – the leaked document paints a
devastating picture of a city more divided than at any time since 1967,
when Israeli forces occupied the east of the city.
The report has emerged amid strong indications that the Obama
administration is also rethinking its approach to Israel and the Middle
East peace process following the re-election of Binyamin Netanyahu as Israel’s prime minister. According to reports in several US papers, this may include allowing the passage of a UN security council resolution restating the principle of a two-state solution.
The leaked report describes the emergence of a “vicious cycle of
violence … increasingly threatening the viability of the two-state
solution”, which it says has been stoked by the continuation of
“systematic” settlement building by Israel in “sensitive areas” of
Jerusalem.
Young Palestinians throw stones at Israeli security forces at Shuafat
refugee camp in Jerusalem in 2014, a year characterised by an EU report
as the most ‘violent and polarised’ in the city in recent memory.
Photograph: Peter Beaumont for the Guardian
In addition, the report blames tension over the status of the Haram
al-Sharif/Temple Mount complex as well as heavy-handed policing and
punitive measures – including evictions and home demolitions by Israeli
forces – for the escalating confrontation.
The
document is prepared jointly every year by the heads of mission of the
European countries represented in Jerusalem. The group advises EU
foreign policymakers on the situation in the city while making
recommendations for action.
The disclosure of the 2014 report – which suggests a series of
potential punitive measures targeting extremist settlers and settlement
products – comes days after Israeli elections which saw Netanyahu emerge as the decisive victor.
During the election campaign, Netanyahu vowed to continue
settlement-building in occupied East Jerusalem in defiance of the
international community, including the EU and Washington, which strongly
oppose Jewish settlement construction in Jerusalem.
Netanyahu has also been criticised in parts of the international
community for appearing to suggest his opposition to the creation of a
Palestinian state on the eve of the vote – comments he appeared to row
back from after winning the election.
For its part, Israel rejects the charge of illegal
settlement-building in Jerusalem, claiming the city as its “undivided
capital”.
Among the recommendations in the report are:
Potential new restrictions against “known violent settlers and those
calling for acts of violence as regards immigration regulations in EU
member states”.
Further coordinated steps to ensure consumers in the EU are able to
exercise their right to informed choice in respect of settlement
products in line with existing EU rules.
New efforts to raise awareness among European businesses about the
risks of working with settlements, and the advancement of voluntary
guidelines for tourism operators to prevent support for settlement
business.
Some of the recommendations in the EU report
According to well-informed European sources, the report – now being
discussed in Brussels – reflects a strong desire from European
governments for additional measures against Israel over its continued
settlement-building, and comes at a time when Europe is confronting “the
new reality” of a new and potentially more rightwing Netanyahu government.
The report also follows a period of growing frustration within the EU
over the moribund state of the peace process, which collapsed last
year, and pressure to adopt a harder line over issues such as
settlement-building.
Since Netanyahu’s victory on Tuesday, speculation has been mounting that both the US and the EU are looking for alternative and tougher strategies to push forward the stalled peace process.
The document paints a picture of a grim year of violence in Jerusalem
that claimed the lives of 19 people, a total that includes a number of
Palestinians involved in deadly attacks, the highest number of deaths in
recent years.
Among the most high-profile incidents last year were the kidnap and murder of a young Palestinian from an East Jerusalem neighbourhood by Jewish extremists, a number of fatal attacks by Palestinians targeting Jews with cars, and a bloody attack on Jewish worshippers praying in a synagogue.
Israeli police at the al-Aqsa mosque in 2014. Tension over access to the
Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount compound is highlighted in the report.
Photograph: Peter Beaumont for the Guardian
Describing Jerusalem as “one of the most emotive and problematic
issues” in the Middle East peace process, the report says: “The
tensions, mistrust and violence which have accompanied developments in
the city in the course of the year have reached extremely high levels.
“These developments are increasingly threatening the viability of the
two-state solution and, in turn, risk precipitating further levels of
polarisation and violence.” In a bleak warning, the report continues:
“2014 has been distinguished by a number of specific, disturbing and
often violent developments” – noting a cycle of stone-throwing, terror
attacks and heavy-handed tactics by Israeli police, which, if the root
causes were not addressed, were likely to lead to “further escalation
and extreme polarisation”.
“These incidents have occurred against the background of the
systematic increase in settlement activity, tensions over the Haram
al-Sharif and rising levels of tensions and acts of violence on both
sides.” Placing part of the blame on Israel’s “unabated” policy of
continued settlement construction, it adds: “The expansion of
settlements has continued, including in highly sensitive areas … and
[has] been followed in force by waves of demolitions and evictions.”
A second key factor identified by the report for the deteriorating
security situation in Jerusalem is the continuing tensions over the
Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount complex, which it blames on “serious
radicalisation” on both sides.
The report notes: “Almost on a daily basis settlers and national
religious activists have ascended on to the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount
under the protection of Israeli forces.”
Although the report concedes that Israel has reduced the size of
these groups by two-thirds at the end of last year, and eased
restrictions in place during parts of last year on Muslim worshippers,
it warned that the perception still exists among Palestinians of a
desire on Israel’s part to change the longstanding and sensitive status
quo.
A third factor the report identifies as fuelling polarisation is the
heavy-handed policing of Palestinian areas of east Jerusalem, where
additional Israeli forces sent to quell disturbances “have been engaged
in recurrent violent confrontations with Palestinian youth that led to
more than 1,300 arrests (with 40% of the detainees being minors)”.
An Israeli government spokesman said on Friday: “This is so extremely
one sided a report that it distorts reality beyond comprehension.”
The disclosure of the report follows hard on the heels of a letter
sent by chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat to Federica Mogherini,
the EU’s top representative on foreign policy, calling on the European Union to take a tougher stance against Israel.
In the letter, Erekat demanded: “We believe it is time to focus all
our efforts in saving the two-state solution from its total
disappearance through holding Israel accountable of its violations of
international law.”
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