EU aims to revive 'urgently needed' Palestine-Israel peace efforts

Bloc's top diplomat warns of 'vicious cycle of violence' in meeting with US

Josep Borrell, right, held talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Brussels. EPA

The European Union’s top diplomat said on Tuesday he was looking to revive the Middle East peace efforts to stop a “vicious cycle of violence” between Israelis and Palestinians.

Josep Borrell said recent developments “painfully demonstrate” that a path towards peace is “urgently needed”.

He discussed with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken what he called his “efforts together with partners in the Arab world to revive peace efforts”.

This could involve “building on the Arab Peace Initiative and adding a European peace contribution to it”, he said.

The peace initiative was adopted by the Arab League in 2002, calling on Israel to withdraw from its 1967 borders as a step towards normal relations.

Recent talks brokered by the US, Jordan and Egypt led to an agreement for Israel to pause settlements in the West Bank.

Mr Borrell said he “appreciated the recent US mediation efforts” in Aqaba, Jordan, and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

However, tension in the region has been high amid episodes of violence and Israel’s pursuit of controversial judicial reforms.

“We shared our concerns about the vicious cycle of violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories,” Mr Borrell said.

Mr Borrell’s remarks came a day after Germany invited France, Egypt and Jordan to four-power peace talks in Berlin.

Annalena Baerbock, the German Foreign Minister, said a meeting could build on the Aqaba talks.

Visiting Berlin, Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Al Safadi said his country supported a meeting in the so-called Munich format.