“Too many people killed”
Borrell calls for a stop to US arms sales to Israel
February 12, 2024, 7:43 p.m
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Borrell distrusts Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s plans for the evacuation of the border town of Rafah. The EU foreign policy chief is convinced that too many people are losing their lives as a result of the war in the Gaza Strip. And he calls on US President Biden to act.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has indirectly called on the US to stop supplying arms to Israel. In Brussels, he referred to US President Joe Biden’s statement last week that the Israeli reaction to the Hamas attack was excessive (“over the top”). “If you think too many people are being killed, maybe you should supply fewer weapons to prevent so many people from being killed,” Borrell said. “If the international community is of the opinion that this is a massacre, that too many people are being killed, then perhaps we need to think about providing weapons.”
Israel itself states that measures are in place to protect civilians in Gaza. At the same time, however, the military is forced to advance into civilian areas where Hamas is operating. The United States is Israel’s main arms supplier, providing weapons worth $3.8 billion annually. So far, the administration in Washington has not responded to calls to reduce this aid.
Borrell referred to the decision of a court in the Netherlands that stopped the export of parts for the F-35 fighter jet to Israel. The court justified this with concerns that the fighter jets equipped with them could be used in the Gaza war in violation of international law. It is contradictory when states repeatedly declare that too many people are being killed in Gaza, but at the same time do nothing about it.
Borrell accuses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of not doing enough to protect civilians. “Everyone goes to Tel Aviv and begs not to do this, to spare civilians, not to kill so many people,” said Borrell, visibly upset. “How many is too many? What is the bar? Netanyahu no longer listens to anyone.” Netanyahu has announced an evacuation of Rafah. “Where? To the moon? Where do they want to take these people to safety?” said Borrell.