The Jerusalem Post reported:

The upgrade was announced in Luxembourg during the annual EU-Israel Association Council meeting, headed by foreign ministers, which conducts the bilateral relations between Israel and the EU. The announcement was made at a meeting attended by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and the ministers of the 27 EU states...

Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayad last week sent a letter to the EU countries urging them not to upgrade ties unless Israel halted construction in east Jerusalem and the West Bank. Similar appeals in all the European capitals have been made over the last few weeks by Egyptian diplomatic officials as well.

In my view, this development is mutually beneficial to Israel and to the European Union. It should foster improved diplomatic, cultural, and economic relations.

At the same time, Palestinian efforts to interfere in Israel's relations with third parties is troubling. The fact that Israel ultimately gained the improved relationship over Palestinian opposition also further weakens Palestinian influence.

In taking such a short-sighted step, the Palestinians squandered an opportunity to demonstrate through actions their commitment to peaceful co-existence with Israel. The Palestinians had an opportunity to demonstrate such a commitment by supporting closer EU-Israel ties. Instead of showing generosity and foresight in doing so, the Palestinian leadership chose the narrow path of standing against Israel's diplomatic objectives. These actions, no matter how the Palestinians frame them, highlight the chasm between Palestinian rhetoric and Palestinian actions. When it comes to diplomacy, rhetoric alone is insufficient to bring about agreements when the differences between the parties are as great as they are between the Palestinians and Israelis and trust between the parties is so minimal.

Sadly, even as one might reasonably have expected a Palestinian political leader such as Salaam Fayad to have a "big picture" view given his past international experience, the most recent failed Palestinian endeavor to undermine Israel's pursuit of one of its key diplomatic objectives, showed only the lack of such a perspective. Unless the Palestinian leadership is willing to take concrete steps that confirm a commitment to peace and a capacity to see the bigger picture in identifying and pursuing priorities, it is difficult to envision such a leadership being able to make the compromises and decisions necessary to achieve peace.