Josep Borrell has only a few days left as the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs. If the new Commission succeeds, he himself has indicated that the 28th of this month will be the expiration of his mandate, so today has probably been his last meeting of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council. And in this meeting, he has once again harshly attacked Israel, accusing them of conducting "a war against children" in Gaza.
"70% of the dead in Gaza are women and children under nine years old," Borrell emphasized in the press conference following the meeting held on Monday in Brussels, where he proposed to the Foreign Ministers of the member countries the cessation of political dialogue with Israel. It would have been a remarkable political gesture, no doubt, but the initiative seemed doomed to failure almost from its inception.
"The majority of the member states consider it much better to continue having diplomatic and political relations with Israel. So the decision was not taken into consideration as expected," Borrell confirmed.
Nevertheless, he has not eased his attacks on Israel. On the contrary, he has continued with the harsh words he has been directing at the country and its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in recent months. In October, for example, he accused the top official of seeking an international conflict and preventing the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
"I have seen the humanitarian aid that Israel does not allow to enter. Netanyahu tells me that they are the most moral army in the world, and that they provide 3,000 calories per day to each Palestinian in Gaza," he stated, and today he has affirmed that "there are no words left to try to explain what is happening in the Middle East."
Ukraine, Biden, and "the archers"
Borrell's intervention has even been somewhat sarcastic at times, especially when referring to the situation in Ukraine and the permission that Joe Biden would have given the country to use American missiles on Russian territory.
"The Biden administration has allowed missiles to penetrate up to 300 kilometers into Russian soil. Less is nothing, but it is not a spectacular distance," Borrell pointed out, explaining that distance is not sufficient: "Ukraine should be able to use the weapons provided not only to stop the arrows but also to strike the archers."
The European diplomatic chief also noted that the war in Ukraine has already lasted 1,000 days. "[Vladimir] Putin thought he would be in Kiev in two weeks and is still fighting in the Donbas," he said, reminding that Ukraine is a candidate country to join the EU. This was his way of calling for greater ambition and decisiveness from the EU ministers, a point that he also did not achieve. The last Foreign Affairs Council was not very fruitful for him.
Nevertheless, he did not hesitate to issue another warning that not only he but also NATO has been pointing out in recent months: the conflict in Ukraine is becoming increasingly global, affecting not only Europe and the Middle East but also the United States, Canada, or Japan. Borrell mentioned Iran, North Korea, and China, which are reportedly providing dual-use materials. For example, drones that can be used in civilian and military contexts. "Without Iran, without China, and without North Korea, Russia could not continue the war," the EU High Representative concluded.