Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said he would focus on strengthening diplomatic ties and pushing for a change in the European Union’s “hypocritical and hostile stance” toward Israel.
Netanyahu was to attend an international summit in Bulgaria and meet with the prime ministers of EU states Bulgaria, Greece and Romania and Serbia, which is not a member of the EU.
The premier said the purpose of the visit was to strengthen Israel’s relationship with each of those countries, but also to promote his agenda with the European bloc, which he has long chastised for what he claims is an anti-Israel bias.
“This is not just a meeting of friends, but it is, of course, to strengthen relations with each of these countries,” he said. “Yet it is also a bloc of countries with whom I want to promote my policy, to change the hypocritical and hostile attitude of the EU.
“This is a process that will take time, but I believe in setting a goal and striving for it systematically, and I believe that this too will be achieved over time,” Netanyahu continued.
In a statement issued in response, the EU mission in Israel said: “The EU and Israel enjoy strong mutually beneficial relations. The EU is Israel’s first economic partner and a strong political ally, fully committed to its security and well-being. The EU and its Member States are one and the same, foreign policy decisions are adopted unanimously.”
