Fomer EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the EU remains “not up to par” in addressing the Middle East, criticizing the bloc’s response to the war in Gaza and its failure to put meaningful pressure on Israel, Anadolu reports.
In an interview with EIMed, Borrell reflected on the EU’s foreign policy record, saying that while the bloc responded decisively to Russia’s war in Ukraine, “in the Middle East, on the other hand, we were not up to par, and we still are not.”
“The (European) Commission overstepped its bounds in the EU’s foreign policy by sending (President Ursula) Von der Leyen to Israel to express her unconditional support for (Israeli President Benjamin) Netanyahu,” he said.
“And it refused to review the Association Agreement with Israel, despite requests from Spain and Ireland in light of flagrant violations of international law.”
Borrell said peace efforts need to be broadened to support the two-state solution in both societies, particularly in Israeli society
“We are all taking refuge in the rhetorical formula of the two-state solution, without taking action against Israel, which does not accept it and is doing everything possible to make it unviable,” he said.
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Turning to the broader region, Borrell said Israel’s current leadership is looking to establish itself as the dominant regional power through military strength. He described the recent war with Iran as “a failure from practically every point of view,” adding that even US President Donald Trump had grown frustrated with Netanyahu’s intransigence and continued military operations in Lebanon.
He also argued that the preliminary US-Iran understanding was “very favorable” to Tehran, saying Iran secured immediate sanctions relief and the gradual release of more than €100 billion ($114 billion) in frozen assets while offering only political commitments in return.
“The only thing the United States receives in return, from day one, is a declaration of intent that Iran ‘will never produce nuclear weapons’ and a commitment to maintain the status quo in its nuclear program,” he said.
Borrell said he sees little prospect of reviving a political process under Israel’s current government and called on the international community to move beyond persuasion and apply greater pressure to advance a two-state solution.
“The international community must put pressure on the Israelis, not just try to persuade them,” he said. “But I don’t see any action in that direction; quite the opposite, in fact.”
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