Belgium: Concept of support group for Middle East announced by Mogherinix

The European Foreign Affairs Council is planning on setting up an "international support group" to aid Middle East peace talks, EU Foreign Policy Chief, Federica Mogherini announced in Brussels on Monday. The support group is currently in the planning stages as it needs to be discussed with the main actors first, such as the Quartet, Palestine and Israel - among others. The aim of the support group is to build a framework that "can lead to a more positive environment for the process to start," especially in Gaza, Jerusalem and the West Bank, according to Mogherini. Mogherini believes that recent events, with reference to the Iran nuclear deal, have proven that "diplomacy and perseverance" can work. Tension has flared up again in the Middle East as Israel has condemned the Iranian nuclear agreement reached during P5+1 talks in mid-July. Prime Minister Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the deal a "historic mistake."