EU’s Borrell slams Israeli Foreign Minister’s statement calling ‘to displace people from the West Bank’

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell slammed Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz for calling to displace people from the West Bank, accusing him of wanting "to do the same thing that they are doing with the people in Gaza".

He made the remarks as he addressed journalists just before an informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels on Thursday (29 August).

"This is completely unacceptable," said Borrell. "I hope the ministers will raise their voice against the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, the treatment of the United Nations and the way this war is being performed in accordance on all violations of humanitarian law. This will once again be discussed by the ministers and I hope that we will take stock of this dramatic situation," he added.

During the meeting, UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, is expected "to debrief Ministers on the humanitarian situation on the ground," the EU said.

On Wednesday (28 August), Israel Katz called for “the temporary evacuation of Palestinian residents and whatever steps are required,” after the IDF overnight Tuesday launched a large-scale anti-terror operation in Judea and Samaria (West Bank).

“This is a war in every respect and we must win it,” Katz tweeted.

“The IDF is working intensively starting tonight in the Jenin and Tulkarem refugee camps to thwart Islamic-Iranian terrorist infrastructures that have been established there,” he said.

He stressed that Iran is working “to establish an eastern terrorist front” in Judea and Samaria, said Katz, following its proxy model in Lebanon with Hezbollah and the Gaza Strip with Hamas, by “financing and arming terrorists and smuggling advanced weapons from Jordan.”

He continued: “We must deal with the threat just as we deal with the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza.”

On Thursday, Katz called Borrell’s claims that ”the Israeli Foreign Minister is calling for the displacement Palestinians from the West Bank  a blatant lie just like his previous falsehood regarding my statements about Gaza, from which he was forced to retract.”  ”I oppose the displacement of any population from their homes,” he added.

On Wednesday,  Hamas leader abroad Khaled Mashaal called for a return to suicide terror attacks against Israelis in the West Bank.

Borrell also said he will ask the Foreign Ministers to included in the EU sanctions list some Israeli ministers who have been launching unacceptable hate messages against the Palestinians and proposals that go clearly against international la wand are incitation to commit war crimes,’’ a reference to  Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich  and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Borrell had warned that he would take such a step earlier this month in a post on X.“While the World pushes for a ceasefire in #Gaza, Min. Ben Gvir calls for cutting fuel & aid to civilians,” Borrell wrote. “Like Min. Smotrich sinister statements, this is an incitement to war crimes. Sanctions must be on our EU agenda,” he said.

The meeting of Foereign Ministers is a ‘’Gymnich’’ format  meeting which is informal and allows the ministers to exchange views on current international issues.

The Gymnich meetings, which are decision-free and serve as a consultation platform for developing common views and strategies among member states, are typically held in the capital of the country holding the rotating EU Council Presidency every six months, currently Hungary.

The meeting, originally scheduled to take place in the Hungarian capital Budapest, was moved to Brussels due to tensions between Hungary and the EU administration.

The tensions arose after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visited the Russian capital Moscow and met with President Vladimir Putin on the fifth day of Hungary’s EU Presidency, which began on July 1.

The EU foreign policy chief announced the move to Brussels in response to the visit.

Apart from the Middle East, the ministers will also discuss the war in Ukraine, Venezuela and EU-Turkey relations.

Josep Borrell,  known for being very critical of Israel, is to leave his post as EU High Representative for foreign affairs and security policy in November and be succeeded by outgoing Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

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