Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Monday a European Union decision to place sanctions on Iranian oil exports, but said it was unclear if the move could thwart Tehran\’s nuclear ambitions. \”I think this is a step in the right direction,\” Netanyahu said at a meeting of his Likud faction in parliament.
The European Union adopted an oil embargo against Iran. The embargo was approved Monday by the European Union\’s 27 foreign ministers, during a meeting in Brussels.
The European Union banned imports of oil from Iran on Monday and imposed a number of other economic sanctions, joining the United States in a new round of measures aimed at deflecting Tehran\’s nuclear development program.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday accepted a European Union invitation to meet Palestinian leaders in an effort to restart peace talks, his office said in a statement.
The Quartet of entities guiding the Middle East peace process will meet over the weekend.
The controversial Palestinian request for United Nations membership is the culmination of three competing strategies pursued by the United States, Israel and thePalestinians over the last three years.
Coordination within the European Union isn\’t always easy, but the bloc stayed on message this year when all 27 EU delegations left the U.N. General Assembly to protest the Iranian president\’s speech.
Poland, which is currently heading the European Union, will not participate in the Durban III anti-racism conference.
The European Union has still not decided on a united position on a Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations which the United States has said it will veto, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Monday.
The EU moved closer to a trade deal with the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday after unanimous backing from European lawmakers to fully open markets to farm and fish products from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
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