The EU’s foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said the bloc would continue to abide by the international consensus on Jerusalem during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday morning, December 11.
In a joint press conference in Brussels, Mogherini said the EU would continue to work towards a two-state solution “with Jerusalem as capital of both the state of Israel and the state of Palestine.”
The comment comes amid days of violence and protests in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza, in response to US President Donald Trump’s declaration last week recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with the EU’s 28 foreign ministers, Netanyahu reiterated his previous day’s comments in a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, invoking the Bible in saying Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish people for 3,000 years.
Despite Mogherini’s insistence that the EU would continue to respect international consensus, Netanyahu also expressed confidence European countries would in future move their embassies to Jerusalem. Embassies are currently located in Tel Aviv, though the US embassies is now expected to move to Jerusalem. Credit: European Council via Storyful
