Given the serious questions concerning US President-elect Donald Trump’s future policies on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, the European Union is now exploring a more independent regional policy as a basis for international consensus.

European capitals were taken by surprise, if not shock, by the election of Trump as the next president of the United States. German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave her qualified blessing to the president-elect, saying, “Germany and America are bound by common values — democracy, freedom, as well as respect for the rule of law and the dignity of each and every person, regardless of their origin, skin color, creed, gender, sexual orientation or political views. It is based on these values that I wish to offer close cooperation, both with me personally and between our countries’ governments.”

The European states, as expressed by many of their leaders in the past months, are concerned about Trump’s lack of experience in foreign and security matters, by his pro-Russian stance and his various expressions against the EU, NATO and free trade deals. He is viewed in most EU capitals as an American nationalist and isolationist who intends to bolster the US military.

A senior official close to Federica Mogherini, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that Brussels is concerned about the intentions of the Trump administration. Yet he said, “We intend to fully cooperate with the Trump administration on all burning issues on the international agenda: the Iran deal, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, etc. The degree of cooperation depends on the new American president and his secretary of state.”