Attempts to isolate Israel or make it an international pariah state are unhelpful, Estonia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sven Mikser told The Jerusalem Post in a wide-ranging interview at the ministry on Wednesday.
In line with the European Union and the majority of the international community, Estonia disapproves of Israel’s settlement policy. “The international community deems that settlements are in contradiction to international law and an obstacle to peace and will not be approved as a legitimate way of advancing Israel’s national interests,” he said.
But Mikser questioned the motives of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, saying “there is a subtle difference between understanding why people and groups act in a certain way and considering it appropriate and constructive. The way to go [forward] is [through] negotiations rather than making efforts to intimidate the other party.”
Mikser also stressed that Estonia sees Israel “as a friend and partner.”
