Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský stated on Monday, “We have to cooperate in support of Israel.” He plans to support Israel and Ukraine at a meeting of EU foreign ministers with their Gulf counterparts on Tuesday in Muscat, Oman, according to EURACTIV.
At the EU-Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) meeting, the foreign ministers of the EU-27, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates will discuss regional security and climate protection.
The head of Czech diplomacy claimed on Monday that the meeting would be an opportunity to talk to Gulf states about the situation in the Middle East.
“We have to cooperate in support of Israel.”
Lipavský is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Oman and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday (October 10). He also stated that the Czech Republic fully respected Israel’s right to self-defence.
It is important to mention that Hamas is our common enemy and terrorist organisation.
Lipavský also advocates support for Ukraine.
“The need of close cooperation between the EU and states of the Gulf raises in connection with Russian aggression towards Ukraine. This meeting is a chance to get more support for the Ukrainian peace plan.”
Besides the EU-GCC ministerial meeting, Josep Borrell convened an emergency Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) in Oman to discuss the military conflict in Israel and Palestine.
Czech MEP Jan Zahradil, a member of the ruling ODS (ECR) party, has called for a reduction in European support for the Palestinians, EURACTIV reported.
Our group (ECR) will push for this in the European Parliament. This concept needs to be thoroughly examined and reconsidered. It is completely unacceptable to spread hatred towards Israel with European money.
Lipavský confirmed that many countries may raise the need to review EU funding for Palestine at an emergency FAC meeting on Tuesday.
“I think that several states will open this topic. At least the EU should have a close look at projects in Gaza. However, we should not put all the projects in one basket. Many humanitarian projects in the West Bank are controlled, we know where the money goes.”
