Still rifts within the European Union countries over the war in the Gaza Strip and relations with Israel. This time the debate is fueled by the words of Josep Borrell, the head of diplomacy of the European Union. “There are no more words to define what is happening in Gaza, I have run out of them. 70% of the dead in Gaza are women or children, the most common age of victims are children under 9 years old,” the diplomat said Spaniard arriving at the summit of foreign affairs ministers in Brussels.
Borrell, who will soon leave his post to make room, in all likelihood, for the Estonian Kaja Kallas, is no longer mincing his words and would like to leave at least a concrete sign of his work on the difficult situation in the Middle East. However, the Spanish diplomat does not find the support of his European counterparts. While Spain and Ireland have already adopted fairly clear positions towards Tel Aviv for several months, for example with the recognition of Palestine as a state, other EU countries, in particular Germany and Holland, but also Italy, do not intend to expose themselves in thanks to the very harsh military response desired by Benjamin Netanyahu, which has now also extended to Lebanon.
The proposal to interrupt the political dialogue between the EU and Israel
He would like to leave a concrete mark before abandoning the role of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell. For months now the Spanish diplomat has been expressing himself with less hesitation, trying to push for resolutions or at least declarations that give a signal to Israel. He would like a convinced and united “rebuke” from EU states regarding the atrocities that are committed daily in the Gaza Strip. The last act of this series of attempts takes place on November 18, during the Foreign Affairs Council scheduled in Brussels. “I will present to my colleagues a proposal on political dialogue with Israel in the framework of the Association Council and one on not trading products that come from occupied territories”, announced Borrell as he arrived in the European capital.
Israel’s methods of warfare are “consistent with the characteristics of genocide”, the UN says
In essence, the High Representative is asking to suspend political dialogue with Israel due to the violation of human rights in the war waged in Gaza after the massacres carried out by Hamas on 7 October 2023. The measure would have only a symbolic impact, because in concrete terms Tel Aviv does not would suffer any damage. A political message to try to stem a country whose military conduct is increasingly described with words such as “genocide” and “war crimes” from multiple fronts (United Nations as NGOs expert in human rights). Foreign ministers will also discuss the EU’s support for UNRWA, the UN agency that protects Palestinian refugees, after Israel adopted a law banning its activities on its territory.
The Netherlands insists on dialogue with Israel
Unanimity among member states is needed to approve Borrell’s proposal. A distant circumstance. His position is supported by countries such as Spain and Ireland, but does not find support in other European capitals. “With Israel we have to keep the doors open, High Representative Josep Borrell has been pushing for months to have an Association Council meeting, everyone was pushing, and now he has made a 180 degree turn, I don’t understand it,” said Caspar Veldkamp , Dutch Foreign Minister present at the Brussels summit. “Now we have to discuss between member states, we have a lot to say to Israel, including about the catastrophic humanitarian situation”, specified the representative of the Netherlands.
Veldkamp recalled that there will soon be a new Israeli foreign minister. A novelty which, in his opinion, could be an opportunity to restart the dialogue. It was in the Netherlands that attacks occurred against fans of the Maccabi Tel Aviv football team, present in Amsterdam for the match against Ajax. An episode accused of anti-Semitism and “Jew hunting”, but which a part of the city’s inhabitants and international public opinion trace back to a response to the provocations and anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian slogans carried out by Israeli fans during of the Dutch trip.
Restrictions for Hamas and “violent settlers”
Not even Germany, which is facing a serious internal political crisis, intends to support Borrell. If the blockade of dialogue with Israel does not find unanimity, other proposals relating to the Middle East are being examined by the participants at the Brussels summit. There is “work underway at European level” on new sanctions against those who destabilize the situation in the Middle East, said Jean-Noël Barrot, French foreign affairs minister. The targets of the new restrictive measures could be the members of Hamas, but also the “violent settlers” in the occupied Israeli territories, specified the transalpine delegate.
Meanwhile, in Beirut on November 18, schools were closed in the aftermath of heavy Israeli air strikes that targeted the Lebanese capital, killing Hezbollah’s media chief, Mohammad Afif. The arrival of US envoy Amos Hochstein is expected in Lebanon to mediate talks on a ceasefire between the terrorist group Hezbollah and Israel, according to the Lebanese broadcaster Voice of Lebanon, citing Lebanese parliamentarian Kassem Hashem. The United States has presented a new truce proposal hoping to end more than a year of fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli troops linked to the war in the Gaza Strip.
