Josep Borrell:“ it is not appropriate to use the term apartheid in connection with the State of Israel”

 

In an answer to a written question by MEPs, The Vice-President of the European Commission wrote that it’s anti-Semitic to call Israel an apartheid state

Antisemitism in the Amnesty International Report on Israel

8.3.2022

Question for written answer  E-000932/2022/rev.1
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 138
Nicola Beer (Renew), Frédérique Ries (Renew), Niclas Herbst (PPE), Lukas Mandl (PPE), Ilana Cicurel (Renew), Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (PPE), Dietmar Köster (S&D), Sara Skyttedal (PPE), Petras Auštrevičius (Renew), Andrey Kovatchev (PPE), Miriam Lexmann (PPE), Bert-Jan Ruissen (ECR), Ondřej Knotek (Renew), Sergey Lagodinsky (Verts/ALE)

On 1 February 2022, Amnesty International issued a report entitled ‘Israel’s Apartheid against Palestinians – a cruel system of domination and a crime against humanity’ in which it alleges that apartheid was inherent in the founding of the State of Israel in 1948 and has been built on and maintained by successive Israeli governments.

1.Does the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) regard Israel as an apartheid state, given that – among others – Israel was created based on UN Resolution 181, more than 10 % of Knesset Members are Arab Israelis, there are Arab Israeli judges, including at the Supreme Court, and an Arab party forms part of the current government?
2.Does the VP/HR regard the report as antisemitic in the light of the non-legally binding International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, given that it claims that the existence of the State of Israel is a racist endeavor (i.e. an apartheid state)?

 Answer given by High Representative/Vice-President Borrell i Fontelles on behalf of the European Commission

20.1.2023

The Commission is aware of the report referred to by the Honourable Members and is giving it due attention. In any case, the Commission considers that it is not appropriate to use the term apartheid in connection with the State of Israel.

The Commission uses the non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA definition) as a practical guidance tool and a basis for its work to combat antisemitism. Claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour is amongst the illustrative examples included under the IHRA definition.

The EU and its Member States will continue to closely monitor the developments on the ground. The respect of international humanitarian law and international human rights law by state and non-state actors, and accountability for violations committed, are a cornerstone for peace and security in the Middle East region.

The EU remains committed to a negotiated two-State solution, based on international law, the 1967 lines, with equivalent land swaps, as may be agreed between the parties, with the State of Israel and an independent, democratic, contiguous, sovereign and viable State of Palestine[1], living side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition.

[1] This designation shall not be construed as recognition of a State of Palestine and is without prejudice to the individual positions of the Member States on this issue.

Read Ali Abunimah's commentary:

EU says it’s anti-Semitic to call Israel an apartheid state