David Cronin, Inter Press Service. BRUSSELS, Jul 25 (IPS) - The European Union's foreign policy supremo Javier Solana this week declared himself "fully behind" the call for an international conference on the Middle East made recently by U.S. President George W. Bush. But is it time for the EU to cease being guided on the Israeli-Palestinian question by the United States, which as the main supplier of weapons to the Israeli military is partisan by definition?
Nathalie Tocci from the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels contends that the EU is "working on the margins of U.S.-dictated policies" in the Middle East and that this has proven counterproductive.
The influence of Washington in shaping Europe's stance has been especially marked in the Union's refusal to deal directly with Hamas. Even though that party won a democratic election in 2006, the EU has refused to have direct contacts with its representatives, as Hamas has been placed on the official lists of proscribed organisations in both Brussels and Washington.
Some EU governments -- such as France and Ireland -- are known to have queried if it is wise to shun Hamas completely. Yet the Union's ban on direct contacts has so far remained intact.
The EU has stated that Hamas must fulfil three conditions if dialogue is to take place: that it recognises Israel; accepts previously signed peace accords; and that it renounces violence.
According to Tocci, these criteria -- with the exception of renouncing violence -- are "legally dubious".
"The conditionality on Israel's recognition has no legal grounding in so far as only states and not political parties can recognise other states," she said.
Other commentators have noted how Hamas' participation in Palestinian Authority elections is tantamount to an acceptance of the 1993 Oslo accords, that led to the authority's foundation.
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