Published February 27,2024
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The European Union’s high diplomat criticized Israel on Monday for facilitating the Palestinian group Hamas as a substitute of working towards a viable two-state resolution.
“I’m not saying he (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) wrote them a check, but he’s facilitated the development of Hamas,” mentioned Josep Borrell, talking on the Next Educación business college in Madrid.
“Israel has bet on the division of Palestinians, creating a force to oppose (the) Fatah (movement),” he mentioned, saying Netanyahu has publicly acknowledged this technique.
“When there was a moment of prisoner exchange, the Israeli government released a founder of Hamas and the man who orchestrated the Oct. 7 attacks. But it never released the leaders of Fatah, who want a peaceful and negotiated solution,” he mentioned.
“This is the objective reality. Interpret it as you wish.”
In 2011, the Israeli authorities struck a cope with Hamas to launch Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in trade for 1,027 prisoners.
Borrell additionally referred to his current journey to the G20 international ministers assembly in Brazil. He mentioned that there, “every single country” mentioned the one “solution to guarantee peace and stability in the Middle East is the two-state solution.”
However, he slammed Netanyahu’s authorities for doing all that they may to dam it for the final 30 years.
“The Israeli government says what it doesn’t want. But it doesn’t say what it wants. What’s their solution besides a security guarantee? But do they want security solely based on military means? Frankly, I think there are better solutions,” he mentioned, pointing to the necessity for a Palestinian state.
Borrell additionally expressed the unprecedented nature of Israel’s calls for.
“Israel asks Palestine to guarantee its security. Fair enough. But Israel is the occupying force. This is the first time I heard of an occupier asking the occupied country for security guarantees. Usually it’s the other way around,” he mentioned.
At the identical time, Borrell acknowledged that Israel does want safety ensures on this scenario.
“And Palestinians need to have the possibility to organize themselves politically in a territory and sign a peace agreement that’s not just between Israel and Arab states,” he added.
Borrell, 76, is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party and has been serving because the EU High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy since December 2019.
Source: www.anews.com.tr