BORRELL CALLS FOR TRUCE TO BE EXTENDED UNTIL A POLITICAL SOLUTION IS FOUND TO THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT
Barcelona has hosted this Monday, November 27, 2023, the VIII Regional Forum of the Union for the Mediterranean that has brought together 43 countries to discuss the current situation in the Middle East, but that has not counted with the presence of the Israeli representative. He announced his absence after the meeting of the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, with the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanjahu.
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Josep Borrell, recalled this Monday in Barcelona the recent agreement on the four-day truce and the release of civilian hostages, assuring that it is “an important first step”.
In this sense, he expressed his gratitude for the role of Qatar, Egypt and others in achieving it, “but much more is needed to alleviate the terrible situation in Gaza and find a way out of the current crisis,” he said. Therefore, he has advocated for the extension of the pause to “make it sustainable and long-lasting while working towards a political solution.”
The High Representative stressed the need for a political solution to break the cycle of violence in the region while expressing concern about the impact of extremist agendas, not only in the Middle East but also affecting Europe.
“No army can better guarantee the security of a country than peace,” Borrell said, referring to the peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan as examples. He stressed that peace with the Palestinians is crucial, asserting that a Palestinian state in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem is essential for Israel’s long-term security.
Borrell warned of the consequences of failure, noting that a state that does not exist is considered a failed state, which could have serious repercussions in the region and asserted that “to defeat the ideology of Hamas, the Palestinians need a credible political prospect of a state based on international parameters.”
The High Representative called for European involvement in the search for a solution, stressing that geographical distance does not exclude the consequences for Europe. In this regard, he reaffirmed the commitment to the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and urged the formation of a coalition for peace, including the European Union, the United States and the Arab League.
Despite recognizing that the road to peace is difficult, “it is not unattainable”, he pointed out. He recalled that “in the history of the most serious and aggravated conflicts, there is always a moment when the darkness of the situation can only lead to a horizon of peace, since the war has become unbearable for both Israelis and Palestinians”.
This news was originally published in Aquí Europa.
