Israel not cooperating in planned EU foreign policy chief visit

By Lazar Berman

You will receive email alerts from this author. Manage alert preferences on your profile page

You will no longer receive email alerts from this author. Manage alert preferences on your profile page

15 March 2023, 6:34 pm

Edit

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell speaks with the media as he arrives a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels on Jan. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

After he harshly criticized Israel on several occasions in recent weeks, Israel is refraining from cooperating on any attempts by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell to make an official visit to Israel.

“He is not banned from coming,” an Israeli official tells The Times of Israel, “but we don’t see the purpose of such a visit right now, and we’re not helping to coordinate such a trip.”

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen blasted Borrell on Tuesday for allegedly drawing a comparison between Palestinian terror attacks and IDF operations in an article he wrote.

The dressing down seems to have had some effect, as Borrell delivered a speech on Israeli democracy last night that seemed designed to smooth things over with Cohen and Israeli leaders in general.