Israeli PM Netanyahu expected to meet French President Macron in Paris and EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels next month

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet the 28 European Union Foreign Ministers in Brussels next month at the invitation of Lithuania, according to
Israeli press reports. Netanyahu, who is also Foreign Minister, will be the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit the European Union in 22 years.



JERUSALEM/BRUSSELS ---Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet the 28 European Union Foreign Ministers in Brussels next month at the invitation of Lithuania, according to Israeli press reports.

Netanyahu, who is also Foreign Minister, will be the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit the European Union in 22 years.

Lithuania is expected to invite Netanyahu to meet with the EU ministers at a breakfast prior to their monthly meeting on December 11.

The visit “is extremely important because it is a unique occasion to meet 28 foreign ministers as well as the important actors of the EU in Brussels,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said.

Netanyahu will be able to “present Israel’s position with regard to the strategic challenges and issues that we face in the region,” Nahshon said.


“It is a unique occasion to strengthen and enhance the ties between Israel and the EU. I think that it is going to be one of the more important diplomatic rendezvouses for Israel,” he added.

Before going to Brussels, the Israeli premier will travel to Paris for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss threats against Israel from Hezbollah and Iran and "ideas to stabilize the situation in Lebanon."

Netanyahu told his Likud party at a faction meeting that he had spoken with the French president "at length" the previous day.

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Harriri, a rival of Hezbollah, earlier this month  announced his resoigation during a visit to Saudi Arabia where he made the announcement.

Netanyahu said he and Macron had agreed to meet to "see if we can adopt similar approaches, as much as possible, concerning this threat and the Iranian nuclear agreement.