The Palestinian Foreign Ministry quickly responded to von der Leyen’s words, describing them as “inappropriate, wrong and discriminatory.” The Foreign Ministry singled out the phrase “You made the desert bloom,” describing that phrase as “a racist metaphor against the Palestinians.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen angered Palestinian officials by praising “Israeli democracy” as the Jewish state celebrated its 75th anniversary on Wednesday.
In a video posted by the European Union embassy in Tel Aviv on its website, the head of the largest European executive institution described Israel as “a vibrant democracy in the heart of the Middle East.” “They literally made the desert bloom,” von der Leyen added in the video.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry quickly responded to von der Leyen’s words, describing them as “inappropriate, wrong and discriminatory.” The Foreign Ministry singled out the phrase “You made the desert bloom,” describing that phrase as “a racist metaphor against the Palestinians.”
The foreign ministry called on von der Leyen to apologize for its “propaganda rhetoric” and added in a statement that “the (bloc’s) adoption of such anti-Palestinian rhetoric undermines the status of the European Union and casts doubt on its declared commitment to international law and human rights.”
Von der Leyen visited Israel and the Palestinian territories last June and praised European-Israeli relations.
“We have more in common than geography might suggest. Our common culture, values and hundreds of thousands of dual Israeli citizens from the European Union have created a deep bond,” she said in a letter to Israeli President Isaac Herzog, adding, “Your freedom is our freedom.”
Israel is currently going through a period of sharp political alignment following a proposed move by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to amend its judicial system.
This move sparked massive protests and strikes in the country, and was condemned by the international community and Israel’s closest allies, including the United States of America. After internal and international pressure, Netanyahu announced that he would postpone the amendments.
Earlier this year, reports were published that Israel prevented the High Representative for Foreign Policy of the European Union, Josep Borrell, from visiting Israel, but Tel Aviv has not officially confirmed this.
