Foreign Minister Yair Lapid addresses 26 European foreign ministers in his speech to the EU Foreign Affairs Council, becoming the first Israeli to do so since Tzipi Livni in 2008.
In his remarks, Lapid expresses support for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, but says the conditions are currently not ripe for a peace deal.
“It is no secret that I support a two-state solution. Unfortunately there is no current plan for this. However, there is one thing we all need to remember. If there is eventually a Palestinian state, it must be a peace-loving democracy. We cannot be asked to take part in the building of another threat to our lives,” says Lapid.
“What we need to do now is make sure that no steps are taken that will prevent the possibility of peace in the future, and we need to improve the lives of Palestinians. Whatever is humanitarian, I will be for it. Everything that builds the Palestinian economy, I am for it.”
The new foreign minister also says he’s seeking to open a new chapter in Israel-EU relations, emphasizing the liberal values shared by Israel and European states.
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