The High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, defended this Friday (19) in the city of Valladolid, Spain, that the international community must “impose ” the creation of a Palestinian state, despite Israel's current refusal.
Borrell warned in a speech at the University of Valladolid that, if there is no such imposition, what he classified as a “spiral of hate” will continue generation after generation.
“The parties are too much at odds to be able to reach common ground on their own,” argued Borrell in statements to the press. He encouraged the Arab world, Europe, the United States and the entire United Nations (UN) to adopt this decision to “recognize” the creation of a Palestinian state, despite Israel's opposition.
Asked if the resolution of this conflict is possible as long as Benjamin Netanyahu continues to be the leader of Israel, he said that, obviously, the country's government is an “impediment”, but “governments pass”, and the important thing is to know how “governments pass” citizens on both sides understand this conflict and the possible solutions.”
“I believe that Israel's security cannot be achieved by military means alone […]. Everyone who says they are in favor of the two-state solution must be actively involved in making it a reality, and if the international community is in favor, then it will have to 'impose' that solution,” said Borrell.
He further alleged that “Hamas has been 'financed by Israel' for years to try to weaken Fatah's Palestinian authority.”
The EU high representative called for an “urgent humanitarian pause”, for the situation to stabilize in the region, for the Israeli hostages to be released and for Israel to “withdraw from the Gaza Strip” when this happens.
Red Sea on the brink of “very dangerous” situation
Regarding the extension of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to the Red Sea, where Yemen's Houthis have attacked vessels that claim to have “connections with Israel”, Borrell emphasized that the priority must be “avoiding an escalation” and called for protection of navigation through this important maritime route without allowing tension to worsen.
“We are on the brink of a situation that could be very dangerous, and at any moment a spark could ignite,” he said, indicating that the EU will not send its ships on “combat missions”, but only to “protect navigation”. .
Regarding the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, Borrell summarized it as a war between a “sovereign power against an imperial power”, of a country [a Rússia] which is unable to separate itself from its colonial vision and its identity as an empire, a vision that was also chosen by tsars, Soviets and now Putin.
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