In Rare Move, Britain Blocks EU Council From Adopting Paris Peace Summit Statement

"Britain prevented on Monday afternoon an EU Foreign Affairs Council decision adopting the closing statement of Sunday's peace conference in Paris, European and Israeli diplomats told Haaretz.

The British move was highly irregular and came a day after Britain refused to sign the Paris conference's closing statement.

Israeli and European diplomats said it was France that moved that the Foreign Affairs Council adopt a relatively brief resolution adopting the Paris peace summit's conclusions, and stress the EU's willingness to award Israel and the Palestinians with economic incentives if they reach a peace treaty.

Several other countries, including Hungary and Lithuania, joined Britain's reservations over the summit's statement. Since resolutions in the Council must be passed unanimously, the French move was blocked.

A senior European diplomat who attended the Council's meeting told Haaretz that Britain's action angered many EU members. According to the diplomat, the British were motivated primarily by a need to cozy up to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, who told the Times on Sunday that he expects Britain to oppose any future UN Security Council resolution against Israel. 'The Brits read what Trump said and implemented it immediately,' the diplomat told Haaretz...