JERUSALEM, Wednesday, March 27, 2019 (WAFA) – The European Union (EU) will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders including with regard to Jerusalem, today said Shadi Othman, spokesman for the EU in Jerusalem.

“The EU position with regard to Jerusalem remains unchanged. It is reflected in Foreign Affairs Council Conclusions and endorsed by all 28 EU Member States,” he said in a statement to the press. “The EU will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties.”

Othman said that this EU position applies to all territory occupied by Israel.

“The European Union, in line with international law, does not recognize Israel‘s sovereignty over any of the territories occupied by Israel since June 1967, including East Jerusalem, and does not consider them to be part of Israel‘s territory, irrespective of their legal status under domestic Israeli law.”

With regard to the holy places in Jerusalem, particularly the situation at Al-Aqsa Mosque where Israel has triggered a conflict with the Palestinians over a prayer area inside the Muslim holy compound known as Bab al-Rahma, Othman stressed that “the EU recognizes the special significance of the holy sites of Jerusalem for the three monotheistic religions, and strongly believes that the status quo put in place in 1967 must be upheld in line with previous understandings and with respect to Jordan‘s special role.”

M.K.