Borrell slams 'Israel' for building settlements amid attacks on Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Nov 2023 13:07

EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said in a now-deleted tweet that "Israel" allocating new funds to build illegal settlements amid the genocide in Gaza is "appalling", a "grave breach" of international humanitarian law.

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh, right receives European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, at his office in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Friday, Nov. 17, 2023. (AP)

EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell took to X to say that "Israel" allocating new funds to build illegal settlements amid the genocide in Gaza is "appalling", a "grave breach" of international humanitarian law, and does not serve to protect the occupation state.

Borrell also said that the Gaza Strip truce, which is set to expire on Tuesday, should be extended.

"The pause should be extended to make it sustainable and long-lasting while working for a political solution," he said on Monday, at the start of a meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean in Barcelona.

Borrell previously called for a humanitarian pause in Gaza to allow the delivery of aid, unanimously with 27 EU members.

He also went on a tour to "Israel", Palestine, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar & Jordan over a week ago to discuss humanitarian access & assistance & political issues with regional leaders.

I’m appalled to learn that in the middle of a war, the Israeli gov is poised to commit new funds to build more illegal settlements.

This is not self-defence and will not make Israel safer. The settlements are grave IHL breach, and they are Israel’s greatest security liability.
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) November 27, 2023

These would not be the only times the chief has spoken out against "Israel's" illegal actions in Gaza. Only a few days following Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, Borrell affirmed that "Israel" must defend itself within the grounds of international law, clearly stating that “some of the actions [by Israel] — and the United Nations has already said it — cutting water, cutting electricity, cutting food to a mass of civilian people is against international law so yes, there are some actions that are not in accordance with international law".

EU in conflict

Back then, Borrell revealed that the "overwhelming majority" of EU states opposed the suspension of aid to Gaza.

Earlier last month, shortly after Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, the EU Neighborhood Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said the EU would be freezing all assistance for Palestine. Shortly afterward, Borrell retracted the statements saying the European Commission would not suspend due assistance payments to Palestinians.

"The suspension of the payments — punishing all the Palestinian people — would have damaged the EU interests in the region," Borrell had said.