Former EU Foreign Affairs Chief Accuses Israel of Ethnic Cleansing

Josep Borrell, who has held prominent positions including Spain's Foreign Minister and President of the European Parliament, served as the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs from 2019 to 2024. In a speech delivered on Friday, he accused Israel of engaging in ethnic cleansing and criticized European nations for failing to take action to prevent it.

Borrell asserted that Europe possesses both the capability and resources to not only protest against the ongoing situation but also to influence Israel's actions. "Europe has the ability and means to do more than just express concern; we can affect Israel's behavior. Yet, we do not," he stated.

He also expressed strong opposition to the supply of weapons from European countries to Israel, arguing that if there is a genuine concern for the loss of life, the logical response would be to reduce arms deliveries rather than merely offering condolences. "If we truly believe that too many people are dying, the natural reaction should be to supply fewer weapons, not just to lament the situation," he remarked.