Top EU Diplomat Regrets Failure to “Stop” Netanyahu

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell expressed his regret that no global power, including the United States, has been able to halt Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s military actions in both Lebanon and Gaza. According to Borrell, Netanyahu seems determined to continue the fighting, despite diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire.

Borrell, speaking to journalists at the U.N. General Assembly, stated that while diplomatic pressure for a ceasefire is being applied, “nobody seems to be able to stop Netanyahu” in either Gaza or the West Bank. Israel has had a contentious relationship with Borrell, with Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz recently accusing him of being “antisemitic.”

Borrell voiced support for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon, proposed by France and the United States, though Israel has rejected this, continuing its intensified strikes on Hezbollah, which have resulted in hundreds of deaths. Borrell noted Netanyahu’s stance that Israel will not stop until Hezbollah is destroyed, drawing parallels to Israel’s long-standing campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

Borrell warned that if Netanyahu’s approach to Hezbollah mirrors that of Hamas, the conflict could extend into a prolonged war. He also reiterated the need to diversify diplomatic efforts beyond the United States, as U.S.-led attempts at securing a truce in Gaza have not succeeded. He expressed doubts that the U.S. is currently willing to restart negotiations similar to the Camp David talks of 2000, which aimed but failed to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.