The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, is facing backlash over double standards for his comments on the Israeli war on Gaza.
During an interview with Al-Jazeera on Sunday, Borrell was asked several questions about the EU’s stance on the ongoing Israeli war on the besieged Gaza Strip.
When presenter Osman Ayfarh asked him whether he thought Israel was committing “war crimes” in the Strip, Borrell said that the matter should be investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Well, I’m not a lawyer, but there’s an International Court of Justice that’ll investigate and I’ll abide by their decision,” Borrell said.
AJ: Do you consider what Israel's doing to be war crimes?
EU's Josep Borrell: I'm not a lawyer…
AJ: Is the EU position that what Hamas did are war crimes?
Borrell: Yes. We consider it war crimes… #israel #Palestine #DoubleStandards pic.twitter.com/ubHKj0pPF2
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) November 20, 2023
However, a few seconds later, when he was asked whether he considered a “war crime” the attack carried out by the Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, Borrell promptly answered in the affirmative.
“Yes, we consider that a war crime”, he said, “because clearly, the killing of civilians for no reason other than because they were simply there”.
The Al-Jazeera presenter highlighted the contradiction, telling Borrell that his response was a typical example of why the European Union is accused of applying double standards over Palestine and Israel.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
