The country’s disregard for human rights undermines “the very foundation” of the European Union, the top diplomat has said
The EU must take decisive action against Israel to stop human rights violations in Gaza, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said in a statement published on Friday. West Jerusalem’s actions risk destroying the “rules-based order” created by the West and sparking a “ripple effect of crises” for Europe, he warned.
Borrell said it is “not by chance” that Israel’s military campaign, which has led to a mass exodus of Palestinians from the northern part of Gaza, is being described as ethnic cleansing. The diplomat also warned of Israel using forced expulsions beyond the borders of the Palestinian enclave, in Lebanon, where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has deliberately “obliterated” 30 villages.
Israeli “self-defense,” which was initially supported by many Western countries, increasingly looks “like revenge,” Borrell said. The IDF launched its operation in Gaza in response to a surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which raided Israel on October 7 last year. The assault claimed the lives of around 1,100 people, and more than 200 were taken hostage.
The IDF began with a massive bombing campaign, followed by a ground operation that still continues. Over 40,000 people have died and more than 92,401 been injured, according to the Gaza health authorities.
Israel’s war on Hamas and the siege of Gaza have drawn international criticism in recent months, including threats of sanctions. West Jerusalem has seen a steady decline in Western support due to the mounting death toll and deepening humanitarian crisis.
“The list of pleas that fell on deaf ears in Israel is too long to recount,” Borrell said in his statement, adding that “we need to acknowledge that the approach we have used for over a year with the Israeli government has failed.”
The top diplomat also warned that the bloc could suffer from a “ripple effect of crises” that could be sparked by the humanitarian catastrophe in the Middle East. The fallout could come “with a vengeance,” and the EU could face “repercussions” in terms of migration, internal security, and social tension, he said.
Israeli actions in the Middle East undermine “the very foundation the European Union was built on” and threaten the “rules-based world order” as a whole, Borrell explained. In the face of this reality, the EU cannot stand idly by, he said. “Until now, Israel has been spared from any meaningful consequences. This has to change.”
Borrell suggested a ban on the import of any “illegal settlement products,” adding that he would also call on member states to suspend political dialogue with Israel following a report on Israel’s compliance with a wide-ranging agreement it signed with the bloc. The measures are to be discussed by EU foreign ministers next week.
