High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, said she would travel to the Middle East from 30 September to 2 October, to meet Israeli leaders and then go to Ramallah to meet their Palestinians counterparts, Israeli sources reported.Ashton is expected to express the European Union’s opinions towards settlement construction and proxy talks.
The Israeli sources reported that she declared she will meet U.S. Middle East Peace Envoy, George Mitchell, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu in order to add to the American efforts to rescue the proxy talks.
Ashton highlighted the potential for peace to talks to fail if settlement activity continues in the occupied West Bank.
In August, Ashton released an official statement from her office, expressing concern over the imprisonment of Bi’lin resident, Abdullah Abu Rahma.
‘The EU considers the route of the barrier where it is built on Palestinian land to be illegal. The High Representative is deeply concerned that the possible imprisonment of Mr Abu Rahma is intended to prevent him and other Palestinians from exercising their legitimate right to protest against the existence of the separation barriers in a nonviolent manner. ‘
