EU Constitution: An Observation.

I've mentioned before in this blog that I wanted to cover the EU constitution to some degree (though I can never come near this blog for depth and detail). It's difficult to know how to do that (I'm just getting my head wrapped around it- or is it the other way round?), but I think where an item comes up in the news sometimes you can assess how things would change once the Constitution comes into force.

This passage (From Jens-Peter Bonde's Reader Friendly Constitution) interested me in the light of the current International Court furore about Israel's barrier:

'Member States shall actively and unreservedly support the Union's common foreign and security policy in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity and shall comply with the Union's actions in this area'. (Article I-15.2)

From the BBC I learn that 'The US, along with several other countries including the UK, had argued the court should stay out of the issue.'

whereas according to the Washington Times:

'The EU has thrown its weight behind Friday's International Court of Justice ruling judging Israel's West Bank barrier to be illegal.'

So, that policy at least will have to change if the British accept the Constitution, and Israel will lose one more lukewarm supporter to the international Islamic front.

Update: This Belmont Club reference to the 'European national interest' is very interesting in the context of a common foreign policy. So is this post from the EURef blog about a BBC assisted 'plea' for British backing for the Euro space programme.