The European Union's most senior diplomat insisted today the EU would play a role in Middle East peacemaking "like it or not" despite Israel's rebuke for the Union's backing a UN resolution against its controversial West Bank barrier.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said during a visit to Israel that the 25-nation bloc had a right to participate because of its interests in the region.
Yesterday, Israel's Prime Minister, Mr Ariel Sharon, said he saw little chance of an EU role without a big change in attitude.
Israeli officials vowed on Wednesday to press ahead with the construction of a vast security barrier in the West Bank despite a UN-resolution passed by an overwhelming majority that called for the barrier to be dismantled in line with a ruling by the International Court of Justice.
"The building of the fence will go on," said
Mr Ra'anan Gissin, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
, adding that the UN General Assembly's decision late on Tuesday reflected the "bankruptcy" of the world body.
"Israel will not stop building it (the barrier) or abdicate its inalienable right to self-defence."
The resolution won the support of 150 nations, including EU countries, and was opposed by six countries, including the United States and Australia. There were 10 abstentions.
The resolution came 10 days after the International Court of Justice in the Hague issued a non-binding ruling stating that the separation barrier was a violation of international law, should be dismantled, and that Palestinians harmed by it should be compensated by Israel.
Palestinians, who view the barrier as an attempt to expropriate the land on which they hope to one day build an independent state, hailed the ruling.
Israeli leaders dismissed it, saying the court had failed to take into account the reason for the construction of the barrier - the wave of Palestinian suicide bomb attacks in their cities.