Portrait of Josep Borrell
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Josep Borrell on Israel

Strong critic of conduct (strong)

TL;DR

Josep Borrell, the former EU top diplomat, strongly criticized Israel for alleged genocide and ethnic cleansing in Gaza.

Key Points

  • He accused the Israeli government of committing genocide and the largest ethnic cleansing operation since World War II.

  • He stated in May 2025 that half of the bombs falling on Gaza were manufactured in Europe, urging the EU to use its leverage.

  • In a statement from April 2020, he maintained the EU's position that any annexation of occupied Palestinian territories would be a serious violation of international law.

Summary

Josep Borrell, as the former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, positioned himself as a vocal critic of Israel’s conduct, particularly concerning the conflict in Gaza, alleging that the Israeli government was committing genocide and executing the largest ethnic cleansing operation since World War II. He argued that the horrors inflicted on Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks could not be justified, accusing the Israeli executive under Benjamin Netanyahu of having clear genocidal intent based on ministerial statements. He also claimed that European-made weapons, estimated to be half the bombs dropped on Gaza, were contributing to the devastation.

He further implied that the European Union was failing in its moral duty by not using its leverage, such as the Association Agreement, to influence Israel's actions. Borrell noted that Europe supplied many of the weapons used and that expressing regret was insufficient when major violations of international law were occurring. The former top diplomat advocated for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement for human rights violations, a measure he had pushed for months prior, and emphasized that the two-state solution remains the EU’s only way to ensure peace.

Key Quotes

“Better late than never,” Borrell bitterly commented, pointing out that since Madrid and Dublin first raised the issue, “15 months have passed, and almost 30,000 more people have died.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Josep Borrell described the Benjamin Netanyahu-led executive as the most religious and fanatical government there has ever been in Israel. He expressed disappointment that some European countries offered him great honors during his visits. This strong criticism came as he condemned the actions in Gaza.

Yes, the former High Representative heavily criticized the bloc for its failure to use all available means to influence Israel's conduct in Gaza. He contended that mere expressions of regret were insufficient, especially since Europe supplied weapons used in the conflict.

Josep Borrell called for a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement to assess possible human rights violations, proposing this measure months before it was eventually agreed upon. He suggested that using the agreement as leverage could greatly influence Israel's behavior.