EU against total siege on Gaza, vows to support Palestinians

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell addresses the 27th Joint Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)-European Union (EU) Ministerial Council in Muscat, Oct. 10, 2023. (AFP Photo)

by Agencies

Oct 10, 2023 8:32 pm

The top foreign policy chief of the European Union called on Israel to avoid imposing a total blockade on Gaza, while he said that the bloc would continue to support the Palestinian Authority.

EU foreign ministers on Tuesday urged Israel not to cut "water, food, or electricity" to Gaza and urged humanitarian corridors for those trying to flee the territory, Josep Borrell said.

After emergency talks between the 27 ministers, Borrell also said that the "overwhelming majority" of EU states oppose suspending aid to the Palestinian Authority after the surprise Hamas attack on Israel.

Borell said it would be a mistake to stop assistance to Palestinians.

"The overwhelming majority of the member states considered that we have to continue our support to the Palestinian Authority and the payments due should not be delayed," Borrell said after a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs ministers.

On Monday, the European Commission announced that it would suspend development aid to Palestine.

EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Oliver Varhelyi said on X that the EU executive body, "the biggest donor of the Palestinians," puts on hold its "full development portfolio" of 691 million euros ($729 million).

"The scale of terror and brutality against Israel and its people is a turning point," Varhelyi asserted.

"There can be no business as usual," he added.

Meanwhile, Spain disagreed with the EU’s move to suspend Palestinian aid payments.

"(Foreign Minister) Jose Manuel Albares called European Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi to say he disagrees with this decision," Spain’s foreign ministry said, adding that Albares called for this to be discussed at Tuesday’s meeting of European foreign ministers.

The Gaza-based resistance group Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against Israel early Saturday, firing a barrage of rockets. It said the surprise attack was in response to the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem and increased settler violence.

In retaliation, the Israeli army launched Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.