July 24, 2013 12:28 AM
By Rami G. Khouri
The Daily Star

Story Summary

The most significant development on the Arab-Israeli scene last week was not U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s announcement of a vague agreement by Palestinian and Israeli leaders to resume negotiations for a peace agreement. It was the European Union’s decision to formally have its 28 member states differentiate between Israel and the territories occupied by Israel in 1967, and to refrain from any official dealings with Israeli institutions in these occupied areas.

Second, formalizing in political terms the distinction between Israel within its pre-1967 borders and Israeli-colonized and annexed Arab lands makes clear to the world exactly what the EU will support or reject in terms of legitimate claims and rights by both sides. This is significant because in the absence of clear and firm positions by parties like the EU or the United States, Israeli zealots can run wild with their colonization dreams without fear of pushback by major global powers.

Ashton has already asked EU member states to draft comprehensive guidelines to label commercial products that are manufactured in Israeli settlements as such.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Columnist/2013/Jul-24/224793-applaud-the-eu-decision-on-settlements.ashx#ixzz2a3KXcJa8
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)