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Letters Sent to European Union Member States and the European Union Representative to Individually and Publicly Clarify Positions on the Relocation of the United States Embassy to Jerusalem; and the European Union to take action against Czech Republic, Ro
14، May 2018

On Saturday 12 May 2018, in letters sent to European Union (EU) Member States, Al-Haq called on States to explain their positions on the United States embassy relocation in light of the failure of the European Union to formally denounce the move. A recent General Assembly Resolution affirmed, by an overwhelming majority, that any action to alter the character and status of Jerusalem is null and void, and calls on “states to refrain from the establishment of diplomatic missions in the Holy City of Jerusalem, pursuant to [Security] Council resolution 478 (1980).”[1]

On 10 May 2018, Palestinian human rights organisations and civil society called on the international community to take immediate action to stop the relocation of foreign embassies to Jerusalem and respect international law on the status of Jerusalem. Despite this call, the European Union (EU) has not publicly denounced the US embassy move to Jerusalem scheduled for 14 May 2018, a move which will further entrench Israel’s unlawful annexation of Jerusalem.

In light of the failure of the EU to publish a joint EU statement of condemnation on the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem, Al-Haq calls on the individual member states of the EU to:

  • Publicly clarify their position on the relocation of the US embassy to Jerusalem on 14 May 2018.
  • Openly clarify whether they will be attending the opening ceremony of the US embassy in Jerusalem on 14 May 2018.
  • Publicly condemn EU states that have supported the US relocation, some of whom are considering the relocation of their own embassies to Jerusalem, all in breach of international law and stated EU policy on reserving the status of Jerusalem for final status negotiations.[2]

Al-Haq further delivered a letter to the European Union representative asking for a Clarification of the European Union position on the Relocation of United States Embassy to Jerusalem in light of the Czech Republic, Romania and Hungary support. Al-Haq is concerned that some EU member states including the Czech Republic, Romania and Hungary have blocked an EU statement of condemnation on the US embassy move to Jerusalem, and may even attend the opening ceremony. In light of the plans of these States to support the United States embassy relocation, in violation of international law, Al-Haq calls on the EU to clarify its position on member states attending the opening ceremony of the US embassy in Jerusalem.

In addition, and in consideration of previous EU statements on the status of Jerusalem as reserved for final status negotiations, Al-Haq calls on the EU representative to explain what actions have been taken against the Czech Republic, Romania and Hungary, for breaching the EU position on the status of Jerusalem.


[1] United Nations, ‘General Assembly Overwhelmingly Adopts Resolution Asking Nations Not to Locate Diplomatic Missions in Jerusalem’ (21 December 2017), available at: https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/ga11995.doc.htm

[2] ‘EU Statement – United Nations Security Council: Situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian Question’ (26 April 2018), available at:

https://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un-new-york/43591/eu-statement-%E2%80%93-united-nations-security-council-situation-middle-east-including-palestinian_en