By Palestine Chronicle Staff
May 10, 2025
Former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell accused Israel of genocide in Gaza and condemned the EU for failing to use its leverage to stop the atrocities.
Former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has harshly criticized Israel, stating that its government of committing genocide in Gaza and orchestrating “the largest ethnic-cleansing operation since the end of the Second World War,” The Guardian reported on Saturday.
Speaking at an award ceremony in Spain, Borrell also criticized Europe’s failure to hold Israel accountable, arguing that the EU has both the means and the responsibility to influence Israel’s conduct.
Borrell made the remarks on Friday as he accepted the prestigious Charles V European Award in Yuste, southwestern Spain. His audience included Spanish King Felipe VI and a host of European dignitaries.
“We’re facing the largest ethnic cleansing operation since the end of the Second World War in order to create a splendid holiday destination once all the millions of tonnes of rubble have been cleared from Gaza and the Palestinians have died or gone away,” Borrell said.
The former Spanish foreign minister and veteran socialist politician did not mince words in his condemnation of Israel’s war on Gaza.
Borrell said that the October 7 attack does not justify “the horrors (Israel) has since inflicted on Gaza,” accusing Tel Aviv of violating the laws of war and deliberately starving Gaza’s civilian population.
“Three times more explosive power has been dropped on Gaza than was used in the Hiroshima bomb,” Borrell said. “And for months now, nothing has been getting into Gaza. Nothing: no water, no food, no electricity, no fuel, no medical services. That’s what Netanyahu’s ministers have said and it’s what they’ve done.”
He went on to state that Israeli leaders had made “clear declarations of genocidal intent,” adding: “Seldom have I heard the leader of a state so clearly outline a plan that fits the legal definition of genocide.”
Borrell, who served as the EU’s top diplomat from 2019 to 2024 and was President of the European Parliament from 2004 to 2007, also took aim at Europe’s passive stance.
“Europe has the capacity and the means not only to protest against what is going on but also to influence (Israel’s) conduct,” he said.
“But it is not doing so. We supply half the bombs that are falling on Gaza. If we really believe that too many people are dying, then the natural response would be to supply fewer weapons and to use the lever of the association agreement to demand that international humanitarian law is respected.”
Borrell’s remarks are the culmination of a steady shift in tone over the course of his mandate.
While initially cautious in his public comments, he became increasingly outspoken about Israel’s actions in Gaza—particularly in the final months of his term as EU foreign policy chief.
Source: The Palestine Chronicle
We remind our readers that publication of articles on our site does not mean that we agree with what is written. Our policy is to publish anything which we consider of interest, so as to assist our readers in forming their opinions. Sometimes we even publish articles with which we totally disagree, since we believe it is important for our readers to be informed on as wide a spectrum of views as possible.
