EU foreign policy chief raises the alarm: The entire Middle East is on the brink of all-out war

2024-10-08 07:23:57 / BOTA ALFA PRESS

EU foreign policy chief raises the alarm: The entire Middle East is on the brink

The EU's foreign policy chief warned on Monday that the entire Middle East is on "the brink of an all-out conflagration that the international community seems unable to control".

On the first anniversary of Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza, Josep Borrell said: "The situation is only getting worse."

" People in the region are more insecure than ever and are caught in an endless cycle of violence, hatred and revenge ," Borrell said.

He said the EU "condemns and rejects" the growing violence in the Middle East, including Hezbollah rocket launches, Israeli bombing of Lebanon, the displacement of over a million Lebanese, heightened tensions from Iranian missile attacks and developments on the West Coast.

Underlining that military operations and the use of arms between the parties will not "bring a future to the people of Israel and Palestine", Borrell said: "Only a political solution will bring peace, security and prosperity".

The EU has been working "with its Arab partners" to promote and implement the two-state solution, he said, adding that two weeks ago in New York, the EU gathered a "large number of UN members after this political solution".

The bloc believes that an immediate ceasefire is the "only way" to ensure the release of the hostages and the de-escalation of the "dangerous" situation, which constitutes a global threat, and continues to work with partners towards this goal, he stressed.

" The EU will continue to work tirelessly to pave the way for diplomacy on various fronts ," Borrell said, adding that "essential" steps include starting Lebanon's presidential election process, deploying the Lebanese Army in the south, strengthening the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, organizing a humanitarian conference.

" The time for a truce is now ," he said and warned: " Tomorrow may be too late." "

" The anniversary of October 7 only reinforces the EU's efforts for the need to achieve that regional ceasefire ," he added.

Defying a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, Israel has continued its brutal offensive in the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October.

According to local health authorities, nearly 42,000 people have been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 97,300 others have been injured.

The Israeli offensive has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.

Although international organizations including the UN and countries in the region are calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, the conflict has fueled rising regional tensions across the Middle East, with the latest escalation when Israel attacked Lebanon.

 

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