EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has accused Israel of violating international law by imposing a total blockade of Gaza in response to Saturday’s attack by Hamas. He also underscored the need for the bloc to continue funding the Palestinian Authority.
“Israel has the right to defend [itself], but it has to be done [in accordance with] international law, humanitarian law, and some decisions are contrary to international law,” he told reporters in Oman’s capital, Muscat.
“Some of their actions – 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."
Crisis talks
The EU’s top diplomat was speaking after an emergency meeting to discuss the repercussions of the Hamas attack, which killed at least 1,200 Israelis – mostly civilians.
While Borrell had invited the Israeli and Palestinian foreign ministers to join Tuesday’s meeting by video conference, Israel’s Foreign Minister did not want to participate in a meeting that would also be addressed by a Palestinian Authority minister – so neither took part.
His comments came the day after European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi, a Hungarian diplomat, said all EU development aid for Palestinians was suspended.
However the announcement was reversed by the EU Commission.after member countries complained the bloc's executive had overstepped the mark.
An "overwhelming majority" of EU foreign ministers supported continuing aid payments for the Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, Borrell said.
Brussels allocated nearly €300 million of assistance to the Palestinians last year alone, much of it going into essential services such as healthcare, social assistance, salaries for civil servants and development projects.
Borrell stressed the EU does not cooperate with Hamas, which runs Gaza and which the EU classes as a terrorist organisation.
(with Reuters)
