According to a Thursday report, a recent meeting between a senior foreign ministry official and a group of diplomats and ambassadors from 16 European countries deteriorated into dressing by an Israeli official hosting the summit.
According to Walla News, the incident happened two weeks ago, when the European delegation arrived for a regular meeting at the Foreign Ministry to discuss the situation in the West Bank.
While European diplomats were expected to express concern about a rise in settler violence targeting Palestinians, they also used the opportunity to bring objections to building plans and other issues to be settled.
Diplomats expressed concern over the Israeli progress of construction in the controversial E1 area between Jerusalem and the Male Adumim settlement, as well as controversial Israeli plans for construction in East Jerusalem’s Givat Hamatos neighborhood. He also mentioned other conduct in Area C of the West Bank, which is under Israeli control.
The British-led delegation presented the concerns in an official letter to Israel’s former ambassador to France, Aliza bin Noon, who now serves as director of the Department of European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bin Now replied that the letter was abusive.
“After what the new Israeli government is doing for the Palestinians, have you come to complain?” According to Vala, Bin Sangya shot back.
Since the new government was sworn in last June, it has announced the approval of thousands of permits for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to work in Israel. It has also approved hundreds of building permits for Palestinians in Area C of the West Bank – a move that has not been taken in years.
But the government has also advanced plans for thousands of houses beyond the green line, similar to figures seen during previous alliances. It has also allowed the illegal posts of Homesh and Ivyatar in the northern West Bank to stand.
Workers take a break before EU officials arrive at a construction site in the Givat Hamatos neighborhood in east Jerusalem on November 16, 2020. (AP photo/Maya Aleruzzo)
Refusing to address the issues raised by the Europeans, Walla reported that Bin Noon reportedly shouted back: “You’re pissing me off.”
European diplomats said the atmosphere was bad and quickly spiraled out of control, with the meeting breaking down and ending in a “major crisis”.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Léotte Hatt confirmed the report, telling Walla that “at times, European positions are presented in a way that is unacceptable to us and deserves a swift and clear response, even if We may not react well to the Europeans.”
The December incident came as the new government was working to improve relations with European allies under former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has attempted to improve relations by meeting with representatives of countries that are among Israel’s biggest critics, such as Ireland and Norway.