Borrell denounces the lack of unity in the EU to defend the law against Israel
The high representative for foreign policy of the EU, Josep Borrell, denounced this Saturday the “lack of unity” in the EU to maintain a coherent defense of justice and international law against Israel. “The members of the EU are deeply divided regarding the decisions of the International Criminal Court (ICC),” lamented Borrell, in reference to the arrest warrant issued last Thursday against the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his former Minister of Defense. Yoav Gallant.
“This is a legal decision, not a political one, and there is nothing anti-Semitic about it,” Borrell insisted during a speech in Nicosia before Palestinian and Israeli delegates working for a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict. “When the ICC, created with the resounding support of many EU members, called for the arrest of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, many applauded, and those same voices are silent today,” highlighted the head of European diplomacy. .
“We must protect international law against those who undermine it,” he insisted, recalling that several US senators have promised to apply sanctions against any country that collaborates with the ICC.
He has also called for “consistency” when confronting “those who spoil the peace” to avoid accusations of a double standard that would undermine the role of Brussels. In this sense, he recalled that the EU has long applied sanctions to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, but that only this year has it begun to sanction extremist Israeli settlers “who commit violent attacks against Palestinians.” Or that the EU vetoed imports from Crimea after the Russian annexation, but never did the same with the occupied West Bank or applied the rule of correctly labeling products produced by settlers.
He has also reproached Israel for “the longest press blockade in history” for preventing the work of journalists in Gaza, while complaining, he said, that the information about the Strip is not reliable.
He has asserted that for the EU to become relevant again it must be willing to use “coercion” to defend the application of international law. When Israel “violates the rights of Palestinians, which is undeniable,” it should face consequences, Borrell has said.
Finally, he called for fighting against anti-Semitism, “one of humanity’s worst inventions,” but stressed that criticizing Netanyahu’s government “is not anti-Semitism.” “Do not use this word in vain,” Borrell concluded. (EFE)
