Borrell accuses Israel of ethnic cleansing in Gaza to make way for ‘holiday destination’

Amid Israel’s siege preventing the entry of food and essential medical aid from the UN, and as it continues its devastating bombardment of Gaza, former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell lashed out at the Israeli government, accusing it of committing genocide and carrying out the largest ethnic cleansing operation since the Second World War in order to create a “splendid holiday destination”.

Speaking in Spain as he received the Charles V European Award, Borrell argued that the Israeli assault on Gaza has gone far beyond justified military retaliation and has amounted to a systematic campaign aimed at displacing Palestinians to reshape the territory.

Borrell, who served as the EU’s top diplomat from 2019 to 2024 and was previously Spain’s foreign minister and president of the European Parliament, condemned the Israeli government for breaching the laws of armed conflict and using starvation as a deliberate weapon against civilians.

He stated that Gaza had endured months without basic necessities such as water, food, electricity, fuel, and medical supplies, while being subjected to an unprecedented level of destruction.

Citing the scale of bombardment, Borrell said the amount of explosive power deployed in Gaza has vastly exceeded that used in Hiroshima, and he held Israel’s ministers responsible for this, asserting that their own statements revealed a clear genocidal intent.

He emphasised that although the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023 were horrific, they could not justify the disproportionate and brutal response inflicted on the civilian population of Gaza.

In his speech, Borrell also criticised the European Union for its failure to leverage its diplomatic and economic influence over Israel. He highlighted the fact that EU member states supply a significant portion of the weapons being used in Gaza, arguing that continued arms sales and inaction contradict the bloc’s expressed concerns over the humanitarian toll.

He called on the EU to go beyond expressions of regret and use the instruments at its disposal, including trade agreements, to hold Israel accountable under international humanitarian law.

Turning his attention to broader global shifts, Borrell reflected on what he described as an unprecedented breakdown of the post-1945 world order. He accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of demolishing this order through aggression in Ukraine and suggested that the failure of Russia’s military campaign has only made Putin more dangerous.

At the same time, Borrell warned of the destabilising influence of Donald Trump, whom he labelled as a chaotic force in global affairs and a former ally turned adversary.