EU’s Josep Borrell condemns Israeli army’s attack on UNIFIL in Lebanon

Speaking at the forum of the 43 member states of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in Barcelona, European Union’s foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell condemned the Israeli army for its attack on UNIFIL in Lebanon.

“To say that there are attacks against UNIFIL without saying who is doing them is to hide part of the truth, and who is doing them is the Israeli army, and therefore the Israeli army must be condemned,” Borrell stressed.

Israel has defended its military presence in south Lebanon and its strikes on Hezbollah’s positions in the neighbouring country as necessary for defending itself from the threat of Iran-backed militants.

Additionally, Borrell also reiterated he would ask the European Union to establish sanctions against those responsible for Israeli settlers in the West Bank, as well as for two members of the Israeli government, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Defence Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Jose Manuel Albares, Spain’s foreign minister, said his country has renewed its commitment to UNRWA, a United Nations organisation that is indispensable for millions of Palestinian refugees in the region.

“The international humanitarian law was born of the suffering of Europe. So it is imperative that Europe stands on the side of international law and prevent its violations,” added Ayman Safadi, Jordanian foreign minister.

Israel has long accused UNRWA in Gaza of being infiltrated by Hamas militants.

Finally, it was Nasser Kamel, the secretary general of the UfM, who spoke of the two-state solution in the Middle East.

“We all know the parameters of the remedy are based on a two-state solution and on the right of the Palestinian people to exercise self-determination.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended on Monday a memorial service in Jerusalem for fallen soldiers and civilians killed from the 7 October Hamas attack onwards.

“We are not giving up on the mission of victory, and a central component of the mission of victory is the return of all our hostages, both the living and the dead, back home to Israel,” said Netanyahu.