The EU member states rejected their
foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell's proposal to suspend
political dialogue with Israel regarding the country's conduct
during the war in the Gaza Strip. EU countries remain deeply
divided over the situation in the Middle East.
No more words.
The European Union on Monday rejected the idea of suspending
political dialogue with Israel over its human rights violations
in Gaza. The proposal was made by the outgoing High
Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy, Josep Borrell. He warned just days before the
end of his mandate: "History will judge us all, all of us."
Borrell said Monday he had "no more words" to describe the
crisis in the Middle East as he delivered a bleak assessment at
his potentially last foreign ministers' meeting. At a sombre
press briefing, Borrell said a majority of the 27 European Union
states had - as expected - rejected his call to suspend
political dialogue with Israel over the Gaza war.
Barely concealing his frustration at the EU's lack of influence
on Israeli-Palestinian conflict during his five-year mandate,
Borrell earlier said he had "exhausted the words to explain
what's happening".
Borrell's proposal to suspend the EU's political dialogue with
Israel - part of a wider agreement on trade relations - had been
expected to hit opposition from many member states including
France, Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Hungary,
Italy and Belgium.
The Foreign Affairs Council held on November 18 might be the
last chaired by Borrell. His possible successor is the former
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who is likely to take over
from Borrell as part of von der Leyen's next Commission.
"This is a war against the children".
"This is a war against the children," the 77-year-old foreign
policy chief told reporters after the EU Foreign Affairs
Council. He described an "apocalyptical situation in Gaza, where
70 percent of the death toll is being paid by children and
women", with two million people displaced. Borrell also
acknowledged the suffering of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and
other militant groups since the October 7, 2023 attacks on
Israel.
The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly
civilians, according to a tally by French news agency's AFP of
Israeli official figures. The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza
says that 43,922 people, mostly civilians, have been killed
there since October 7.
Majority of EU member states against freezing EU dialogue with
Israel.
"Most of the member states considered that it was much better to
continue having diplomatic and political relationships with
Israel," Borrell confirmed.
Borrell pointed out that his proposal, is supported by a report
prepared by the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, Olof
Skoog. The report is based on a compilation of data on
violations published by United Nations agencies and other
international organisations working in Gaza, the West Bank and
Lebanon.
The EU top diplomat said his services had "at least put on the
table" all the information produced by UN bodies and
international organisations on the ground "in order to judge the
way the war is being waged".
Borrell added that he did so after the European Commission "has
not proposed anything" since Spain and Ireland requested in
February an "urgent review" of whether Israel is complying with
human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association
Agreement.
(continues).
(The content is based on news by agencies participating in the
enr, in this case AFP, BTA, dpa, EFE, STA, Lusa).
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