Czech leader slams EU 'cowards' on Jerusalem stance

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Czech President Milos Zeman on Saturday blasted EU states for being "cowards" in their response to his US counterpart Donald Trump recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

"The European Union, cowards, are doing all they can so a pro-Palestinian terrorist movement can have supremacy over a pro-Israeli movement," said Zeman, presenting himself as a defender of Israel.

Five Ambassadors of EU countries including Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Sweden to the UN issued a joint declaration on Friday to show their disapproval of US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and to call for calm in the Middle East.

The 73-year-old Zeman, targeting a second term from January and who had Friday said he was happy at Trump's controversial move, made Saturday's comment before delegates attending the congress of the far right Freedom and Direct Democracy party, which opposes immigration and the EU.

President Milos Zeman of the Czech Republic addresses the 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, at UN headquarters, September 19, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital on Wednesday in a move that outraged Palestinian leaders, but which was hailed as historic by Israel.

Zeman said he had himself spoken in favor of Prague moving the Czech embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv on a visit four years ago – a proposal which met with a reserved political response in his homeland.

Following Trump's announcement, the Czech foreign ministry said it saw Jerusalem as the future capital both of Israel and a future Palestinian state and that Prague could only consider moving its embassy after consulting regional partners.

The EU's diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini warned on Thursday that Trump's move had a "very worrying potential impact" and could take the region "backwards to even darker times than the ones we're already living in".

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini pose for a group photo with EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium, December 5, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Mogherini added that "the aspirations of both parties must be fulfilled and a way must be found through negotiations to resolve the status of Jerusalem as the future capital of both states."

Source(s): AFP