Palestinian PM warns EU against boosting ties with Israel

(RAMALLAH) - Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad on Tuesday said he was deeply concerned about plans to upgrade EU-Israli relations, citing lack of progress in the Middle East peace process.,

Fayyad spoke to journalists after he met with diplomats of EU countries on Monday.

"We asked for a meeting with representatives of those countries to express our deep concerns ahead of of the debate on the strengthening of relations with Israel," he said.

"I told them that since Israel violated all its commitments, including on human rights issues, the EU countries should wait before upgrading the level of Israeli representation at the EU," he said.

Fayyad spoke to the officials ahead of the December 8 European Council meeting and the plenary session of the European Parliament on Wednesday at which the EU is expected decide to whether to boost ties with Israel.

He said the EU would send the wrong message to the Israeli electorate ahead of February 10 legislative elections if it agrees to boost ties.

"The message would be clear. By tightening links with Israel, the EU indicates that Israel gets what it wants without having to any consideration being given to its commitments towards the international community and within the framework of the peace process," he said.

Fayyad reportedly told the diplomats on Monday that in the week the upgrade is being discussed, "the misery index in Gaza has never been higher" due largely to Israel's near-complete closure of the Palestinian territory over the past three weeks.

Diplomatic sources said he also pointed out Jewish settlement construction in the occupied West Bank has increased since the Annapolis, Maryland conference that relaunched the peace process in November last year and at which Israel reiterated its commitment to freeze all settlement activity.

Checkpoints, home demolitions and evictions in the Palestinian territories have also increased, Fayyad said.

"All of these facts on the ground have jeopardized the possibility of the two-state solution and the credibility of the negotiations process begun at Annapolis," diplomats quoted him as saying.

The premier already came under sharp criticism from Israel when he sent a letter in May urging the European Union not to upgrade relations with the Jewish state.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni was scheduled to hold talks with the European Parliament's external relations commission on Tuesday.