BRUSSELS (EJP)---As the State of Israel celebrates this week its 60th anniversary, its relations with the European Union have never been as warm as they are today, analysts say.
After a long period of mistrust and recrimination, the two sides have over the last few years developed what is called a "real political dialogue" on a range of issues and are likely to upgrade their bilateral relations in various sectors.
"Although there is still criticism of Israel in Europe, mainly in the public opinion and within the European Parliament, for example on the Gaza crisis, I don’t think that we have differences with Europe today in terms of strategy," Ran Curiel, Israel’s ambassador to the EU, told EJP recently.
"You don’t hear calls for sanctions against Israel anymore every time there is a disagreement about Israeli policy," the ambassador said.
Several elements explain the change in the EU-Israel relationship, analysts say: the enhanced economic cooperation between the two sides, the EU enlargement since 2002 which included the entry of Eastern Europe pro-American and pro-Israel former Communist countries like Poland, the Czech Republic or Slovakia, the terrorist attacks in Madrid and London which gave Europe a sense of what Israel was facing in terms of security, the growing threat from Iran’s nuclear program and changes at the top of some countries like France (Nicolas Sarkozy), Germany (Angela Merkel) and recently Italy (Silvio Berlusconi).
But also on the Israeli side, the disengagement from Gaza in 2005 was very important in closing the gaps between Israel and Europe, as well as the fact that Israel accepted within the 'Road Map' a two-state solution to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"I cannot recall a time when there has been such a positive flurry of diplomatic exchange between Israel and Europe," said Arye Mekel, Israeli Foreign Ministry’s spokesman, listing the numerous visits by European political leaders in Israel.
Most notably, the recent visits by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, accompanied by half of her government, and of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
While criticizing Israel’s settlement building in the West Bank as "an obstacle to peace," Javier Solana, the EU’s foreign policy, said the European Union is firmly committed to the security of Israel.
Despite some calls for the EU to open talks with Hamas, Solana, who has made several trips to Israel over the last months, said that there will be "no direct contact" with the Islamist movement which took power in the Gaza Strip last year, until it renounces violence, recognizes Israel's right to exist and accepts existing agreements.
But the EU’s ambassador to Israel, Ramiro Cibrian-Uzal, told the press on Monday that the international community's efforts at trying to weaken Hamas have failed and "should be reevaluated."
"We need to think about alternative policies, because this has not been successful," he added.
According to a 2007 report by the Anti-Defamation League, more Europeans sympathize with the Palestinians than the Israelis today - but a majority of them also think that Hamas is a terrorist group and approve of the EU's refusal to deal with the organization.
In a message of congratulations to Israel on the 60th anniversary, France, the country which will take over from Slovenia the rotating six-month European Union presidency in July, said it was attentive to Israeli efforts to develop its ties with the EU.
"Israel can count on our country's support, notably within the framework of the EU French presidency, to give a new dynamism to its relationship with the European Union," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner wrote in a letter to his Israeli counterpart Tzipi Livni.
He added that he wished that the coming months "will be marked by historic progress in negotiations" between Israelis and Palestinians, "to put an end to the trials (both peoples) have suffered for too many years."
Upgraded relations
Israel and the EU are on the verge of upgrading their bilateral relations.
A "reflection group" is considering areas where EU-Israel relations can be substantially upgraded to a "special status.”
Israel recently signed an agreement with the European Union which gives Israeli bodies and organizations the ability to participate in various programs proposed by the EU.
Israel is the first country among all the partners of the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) to sign the agreement, a new step forward in Israel’s efforts to upgrade its relations with the European Union.
The ENP covers 16 EU’s eastern and southern neighbours, including Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia from the one side and Israel, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia and the Palestinian Territories from the other side.
The programs concerned by the agreement cover various fields: environment, customs, academy, energy, competition, innovation, culture and Youth Programs.
Israel was the first non-EU country that took part in the European Framework Program for Research and Technological Development, and in the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Program, as well as one of the first participants in the Galileo project, the Global Navigation Satellite System of the EU, and in the European Space Agency.
The European Commission recently described Israel as the "front-runner" among non-EU members participating in EU programs.
The EU is Israel’s main trade partner, with imports representing 38 % and exports 33 %. Data for the first quarter of 2007 show an increase respectively of 7.2 and 3.0 % compared to the same period of 2006.
The EU and Israel signed in 1995 an Association Agreement which came into force in 2005. In addition to the political dialogue, the agreement covers areas such as industry, energy, standards, financial services, information infrastructures and telecommunications, transport and tourism.
The EU-Israel Association Council meets annually at ministerial level
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