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This Wednesday, some 20 European diplomats visited the Jordan Valley to mark the opposition of the EU and its Member States to the Israeli Prime Minister's desire to annex the Jordan Valley and the North of the Dead Sea to Israeli territory. The area concerned represents more than 20% of the West Bank and its annexation would seriously threaten the two-state solution. Reportage.
With our special envoy to Ein Shibli, Guilhem Delteil
For the past year, as Special Representative of the European Union for the Middle East Peace Process, Susanna Terstal has been traveling extensively in the region. But the diplomat recognizes that the promise of annexation of Benyamin Netanyahu is not foreign to this field visit.
" Because of the announcement, I think that all of us, as European ambassadors here, thought it would be time to come and see for ourselves what the reality of the Jordan Valley is ". declared the diplomat.
During the day, Susanna Terstal met Bedouins threatened with deportation by Israel and then visited the Palestinian school supported by the EU and France. She was accompanied by the heads of mission of about twenty member states. The special envoy of the Union defends himself to send a message to Benyamin Netanyahu but the position of the Europeans is very clear, she assures.
" Our position is based on the 1967 borders with a negotiated exchange of territories. The Jordan Valley accounts for 30% of the West Bank. So it is obviously vital for the future Palestinian state, "she added.
The annexation plan presented by Benyamin Netanyahu covered a smaller part of the territory of the West Bank. But the outgoing prime minister, who is now trying to form a government, has also promised to annex other parts of the Palestinian territories.
► See also: Palestinian Territories: fatalism in the face of Netanyahu's wish for annexation