9/9/2024–|Last updated: 9/9/20247:55 p.m. (Mecca time)
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Monday that the European Union could exert political and diplomatic pressure on Israel to demand a ceasefire in Gaza.
Borrell added, during a press conference on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, that he supported the mediation efforts by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, stressing that the issue would be difficult for the rest of the parties if the mediators struggle to impose a solution.
Referring to Israel, the European official said he did not understand why one side had been procrastinating for months in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accused of imposing new conditions to hamper efforts to reach a deal that includes a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange.
Borrell stressed the importance of ceasing fire and freeing the “hostages” in order to agree on the entry of civilian teams to begin their work in Gaza. He also stressed the importance of allowing the entry of the wounded and ambulances through the Israeli crossing. The army took control last May at the start of its invasion of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief warned that “Gaza would turn into Mogadishu or Haiti, without security and order,” as he put it.
Borrell said the European Union was studying a proposal to impose sanctions on two Israeli ministers over their racist statements, saying he had submitted a proposal to that effect.
A few days ago, European Union foreign ministers discussed imposing sanctions on Israeli national security and finance ministers Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, according to Israeli media reports.
The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported the day before yesterday, Saturday, that Tel Aviv had informed the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, that it could not receive him on the date of his visit.
The Israeli newspaper reported that Borrell announced in a letter to the Israeli Foreign Ministry his intention to visit the country on September 14-15.