Borrell slams US hypocrisy over Gaza
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell sharply criticized the US administration for lamenting the growing death toll in Gaza while, at the same time, providing Israel with weapons to prop up its military campaign.
Speaking in Brussels on Monday, hours after Israeli forces bombarded the southern Gazan town of Rafah, Borrell called on Washington to stop pleading with Israel to cease the killing of civilians and to start “doing something” instead.
“How many times have you heard the most prominent leaders and foreign ministers around the world saying, ‘Too many people are being killed’? President Biden said, ‘This is over the top’,” Borrell said, referring to Biden’s recent remarks, according to Euronews.
“Well, if you believe that too many people are being killed, maybe you should provide less arms in order to prevent so many people being killed.”
“It is a little bit contradictory to continue saying that there are too many people being killed, please take care of people, please don’t kill so many,” he went on. “Stop saying please and start doing something.”
The reproach came hours after an appeals court in the Netherlands ordered the government to halt deliveries of parts of F-35 fighter jets to Israel for fears Dutch exports could be contributing to violations of international law in light of the International Court of Justice ruling.
The US administration has in recent months bypassed Congress to continue sending weapons to Israel, whilst also calling for restraint in its war on Gaza, which has claimed the lives of more than 28,000 Palestinians.
It is estimated that Israel has received more military aid from the US than any other nation since the 1950s, owing to a long-standing, bipartisan policy of support.
“If the international community believes that this is a slaughter, that too many people are being killed, maybe they have to think about the provision of arms,” Borrell said.
Data shared with Euronews suggests many more EU countries – including Italy and Germany – have also provided Israel with some of the military equipment and components used in its offensives.
The Delas research center claims Europeans are together “one of Israel’s main suppliers of military systems and equipment” behind the US, and that member states have licensed military contracts worth over €2 billion to Israel, including for ammunition, weapon firing equipment and components for military aircraft and vehicles.
Borrell’s remarks came as the Israeli regime is preparing for a ground offensive into the crowded southern Gaza city of Rafah where about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians are struggling to survive in shelters and tent camps.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to send ground troops into Rafah.
Aid groups and foreign governments have voiced deep concern over the potentially disastrous consequences of expanding operations in Rafah, which they say would worsen an already dire humanitarian situation.