Three former Danish foreign ministers – Uffe Ellemann Jensen (Lib), Mogens Lykketoft (SocDem) and Niels Helveg Petersen (Soc. Lib) have issued an unusually harsh criticism of Israel in a joint commentary in Berlingske Tidende.

“Israelis must choose between being a democratic country with a Jewish majority within 1967 borders, or an undemocratic, Jewish state with apartheid-like conditions,” the three write.

The three former ministers say that the main reason for intransigence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is: “the 43-year Israeli occupation that robs the Palestinians of their freedom of movement”.

“While Abbas in words and actions has shown that he has the will for peace, Netanyahu speaks with a forked tongue. If Netanyahu wants peace with the Palestinians, he must make that clear,” the three former foreign ministers say, adding that increased pressure should be put on Israel.

According to Berlingske Tidende, however, Denmark’s current Foreign Minister and Deputy prime Minister Lene Espersen (Cons) sees no reason to revise Danish policy towards Israel.

“It is wrong to just focus on Israel’s responsibility. If there is to be progress in the conflict, the recipe is not to lay the full responsibility on one party. Why don’t my predecessors refer to attacks on Israel by Hamas, and why don’t they make demands of the Palestinians?” Espersen tells Berlingske Tidende.