Official: EU can't effect breakthrough on Israel-Palestinian issue

Oct 18, 2009, 17:56 GMT

Tel Aviv - The European Union cannot effect a breakthrough in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, but by offering economic incentives it can make it easier for the sides to come to an understanding, European Commission Vice-President Gunter Verheugen said Sunday.

In addition, he told the German Press Agency dpa, internal divisions within the EU on the Israeli-Palestinian issue make it difficult to come up with a unified strategy acceptable to both sides.

Acknowledging that many Israelis don't fully trust the EU, Verheugen, European Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry, said that 'Europeans must send a clear message that Israel has a right to exist within secure borders.'

Once the EU makes this acknowledgement, he said, it would be in a position to be a broker.

Verheugen acknowledged that the EU can only offer what he termed 'soft power,' but the economic advantages the EU can offer Israel would give the feeling that the Europeans are doing something for the country's economic future.

He said boycotts of Israeli products were 'not justified.' Saying they were an 'easy solution', he said he did not believe they could improve the situation.