On Wednesday 20 November, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, called for “the voice of reason” to prevail over that of “hatred” as the “only path to peace” in the Middle East.
In a speech at the University of Jordan, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate, the High Representative said that it was necessary to work towards a two-state solution. “There are people on both sides who want and are working for peace”, said Mr Borrell, adding that the extremists had to be defeated. “There is no military solution, it will have to come through negotiations for peace and land sharing”, he added.
Mr Borrell once again denounced the “dramatic” situation in the Middle East, with a war against children in Gaza. It is a war “in which 70% of those killed are women and children”, he explained, adding that the age group in which the most deaths occurred was that of children under the age of nine. “It’s a war on childhood, the death of a generation”, he added.
The High Representative reminded that no horror could justify another and that the right to defend oneself had a limit: that of international law. In Gaza, “everything that makes up a society has been destroyed (...), the level of destruction cannot be justified by self-defence, it goes much further”, said Mr Borrell.
According to Europe’s chief diplomat, there will be no peace without justice. He specified that accountability must be impartial, regardless of the victims or perpetrators. “War crimes and crimes against humanity must be investigated and prosecuted”, he added. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)