The European Union’s outgoing high diplomat Josep Borrell mentioned Monday he had “no extra phrases” to explain the scenario within the Center East, earlier than chairing his final deliberate assembly of the bloc’s overseas ministers.
“I exhausted the phrases to clarify what’s occurring within the Center East,” Borrell advised reporters, barely concealing his frustration on the EU’s failure to weigh on the Israeli-Palestinian battle throughout his five-year mandate.
“There isn’t any extra phrases,” he mentioned. “It is about 44,000 folks killed in Gaza, the entire space is being destroyed, and 70 p.c of the folks being killed are girls or youngsters.”
“Essentially the most frequent ages of casualties are youngsters under 9 years previous,” mentioned the 77-year-old overseas coverage chief.
Borrell confirmed he would urge ministers Monday to droop a political dialogue with Israel — a part of a wider settlement governing commerce ties — over the humanitarian scenario in Gaza.
However the proposal is anticipated to be given brief shrift by quite a few member states together with key powers France and Germany, in addition to Italy and the Netherlands.
Since Israel unleashed its devastating offensive in Gaza in retaliation for the unprecedented October 7, 2023 assault by Hamas, the EU’s member states have been deeply divided over the battle.
Borrell has typically been an outlier in denouncing what he views as Israel’s excesses.
On Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Borrell likewise voiced his frustration on the shortcomings within the European response because the battle on its doorstep reaches its 1,000th day.
“Too many instances we’ve not been united. Too many instances discussions took too lengthy,” Borrell mentioned.
“My final name to my colleagues shall be: Be extra united, take choices faster,” he mentioned. “Russia just isn’t stopping the battle since you are interested by it.”
“You can not fake to be a geopolitical energy in case you are taking days and weeks and months to achieve agreements so as to act,” warned Borrell, who is because of hand over to his designated successor, former Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas, in December.
