THE WEEK THAT WAS… (Dec. 3, 2012)

The overwhelming vote in the UN General Assembly to upgrade Palestine to a non-member observer state was a triumph for Palestinian diplomacy and a rebuke for the United States and Israel. It was also a blow for the European Union. Once again a strong division between the 27 member states showed that the word Union is a euphemism. Fourteen member states voted in favour of Palestine, one voted against (Czech Republic!) and twelve abstained: Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and nine former communist countries. Obviously none of the former communist countries show any sympathy for the Palestinians. The reason for it? May be because Russia voted in favour. The European Parliament on the other hand chose overwhelmingly in favour of the Palestinians. Good for the Palestinians; bad for the EU. How to explain this to the European citizens? The answer from ‘Brussels’ will be: let’s raise the communication budget!

Another dispute that will damage the ability of the EU to show a single face is the Nobel Peace Prize gala on December 10. While the Presidents Barroso (Commission), Van Rompuy (Council) and Schulz (EP) are jostling for the microphone to show who is the real EU leader, quite a number of member states’ prime ministers will be not in the room: Sweden, UK, Czech Republic and at least 3 others. Probably they took the joint letter by the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches seriously: ‘the economic and humanitarian tragedy today in Greece challenges the EU as a peace builder for the next generation’.