Check against delivery! 

Well, we have just finished an important meeting, called by the Norwegian Foreign Minister [Espen Barth Eide], in order to see how we can support the Palestinian Authority. 

We have been listening to the new Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority [Mohammad Mustafa] who explained the reform plans. I think that everybody was impressed by the deep reforms that the Prime Minister is planning to implement.  

And also, everybody was concerned by the financial instability of the Palestinian Authority, and in particular, by the decision taken by the Israeli government - the Netanyahu government - to stop giving to the Palestinian Authority the revenues of the taxes that belong to the Palestinian Authority. 

If this was the case, there is a big risk of the financial instability [of the Palestinian Authority] becoming greater, and no support plan can cope with it. No support plan can be a substitute for the taxes that belong to the Palestinian Authority, being transferred to the Palestinian Authority. 

Now, we have another meeting. We have another meeting with people [from] around the world. Not only from the Arab world, not only from Europe, but many countries that attended the Riyadh meeting some weeks ago. To continue discussing how we can look for a political solution, not only [on] humanitarian support, not only [on] the release of hostages - which have certainly the greatest priority and [are] the most urgent things to achieve - but how do we look for a political solution to the conflict.  This can only be based on a Palestinian statehood.  

This is what we are going to discuss today with, as I said, many countries around the world – more than 20 [countries] coming – to continue the discussion that the Saudis started in Riyadh. 

Q&A 

Q. Today also, you met the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs [Sameh Shoukry] in a bilateral meeting. Did he talk to you about time for the European Union to recognise the Palestinian State? Did you talk about the decision of the International Court [of Justice]? How united is the European Union about it? 

Well, the European Union has not the capacity to recognise or not to recognise [a state]. This is a national competence, it belongs to the Member States to make their sovereign decision. Some have already done [it] - Spain and Ireland [most recently]- I know that others are thinking about it. I just want to say that recognising the Palestinian State is not a gift to Hamas. It is not supporting terrorism. It is completely absurd to claim that this decision taken by two Members of the European Union – others do not share this decision, they will not do it, maybe not tomorrow – but to blame these countries because this is something that could be considered [as] supporting terrorism or being representing an antisemitic approach is completely out of the stake. 

Q. [Inaudible] 

No, I am saying that this decision by these Member States who recognises the State of Palestine cannot be considered [as having] an antisemitic approach. [It] cannot be considered as a gift to Hamas. The same thing with the ruling of the Court. The ruling of the Court - it is a court which interprets laws and makes decisions according to international law. It has nothing to do with a moral position or antisemitic positions. I think it is clear. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-257613