Hundreds protest as Israeli premier visits Brussels

By Serife Cetin

BRUSSELS

Hundreds of protesters marked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to meet EU officials on Monday.

A 200-strong demonstration gathered outside EU offices in Brussel’s Schuman Square with Palestinian flags and banners backing a boycott on Israel and condemning Israeli “war crimes”.

Netanyahu’s visit came in the wake of the U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Earlier, he met EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and the foreign ministers of EU member states.

Netanyahu said he expected Europe to soon recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital while Mogherini said the “only realistic solution” to the Israel-Palestine conflict was based on a two-state agreement.

She said Jerusalem should be recognized as capital of both Israel and Palestine according to 1967 frontiers.

Netanyahu was due to meet EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker later Monday but the visit was cancelled. The officials declined to comment on the cancellation.

* Ilker Girit contributed to this story from Istanbul.