Gaza no longer 'open air prison', but 'open air graveyard': Borrell
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In response, Israeli FM Israel Katz asks Borrell to "stop attacking Israel and recognise our right to self-defence against Hamas’ crimes."
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European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, on Monday, March 18, 2024. (AP)
At a summit of foreign ministers in Brussels, the EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell condemned Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and called on "Israel" to allow land deliveries of food as soon as possible.
“Before the war, Gaza was the greatest open air prison. Today it is the greatest open air graveyard," he chillingly said.
Playing the victim, yet again, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz took to X to say: "Israel allows extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza by land, air, and sea for anyone willing to help. Despite Hamas violently disrupting aid convoys and UNRWA’s collaboration with them, we persist. It’s time for EU Foreign Minister Josep Borrell to stop attacking Israel and recognise our right to self-defence against Hamas’ crimes."
Israel allows extensive humanitarian aid into Gaza by land, air, and sea for anyone willing to help. Despite Hamas violently disrupting aid convoys and @UNRWA's collaboration with them, we persist. It's time for EU Foreign Minister @JosepBorrellF to stop attacking Israel and…
— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) March 18, 2024
Borrell also cited German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who told Netanyahu that the EU "stand by and watch Palestinians starve. This famine is not a natural disaster. It is not a flaw. It is not an earthquake. It is entirely manmade."
Read next: Europe's global reputation damaged by stance on Gaza: Politico
The EU has previously relayed that the border in Gaza used to let 500 tonnes of aid a day in before the war, and now it remains at the level of 100 tonnes a day.
Just yesterday, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said, “Gaza is facing famine and we cannot accept this.”
Glad to be in Cairo to mark a new milestone in the EU-Egypt strategic partnership.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) March 17, 2024
With Egypt’s political and economic weight and its strategic location in a very troubled neighbourhood,
the importance of our relations will only increase over time. pic.twitter.com/531yNW6d0e
Von der Leyen informed reporters last week following a visit to the harbor facilities at the Cypriot port of Larnaca, which serves as the starting point for the aid shipments, that the EU is "now very close to the opening of the corridor," referring to the initiation of a maritime passage to transport humanitarian assistance from Cyprus to Gaza.
It's noteworthy that the European Union and the United States have been the main allies of "Israel" in its ongoing genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza. Both entities possess the potential to exert pressure on "Israel", calling for an immediate ceasefire and the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid.
Palestinians have expressed doubt regarding the EU and US plans, fearing that such moves could be a prelude to international military presence on Palestinian soil and to the expulsion of Palestinians under different pretexts.
