Borrell: EU lacks unity on Middle East conflict

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell has said that there is no consensus in the EU community on the Middle East conflict.

He also noted that some countries are ready to accept the actions of Israel, which is unacceptable, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

“There are countries that for understandable historical reasons are ready to give Israel not only weapons but also permissiveness in its defensive or offensive actions,” he said.

“The Netanyahu government has not listened to a single voice,” the diplomat said.

The international community's request that there be no invasion of Lebanon was not heeded, just as the request not to enter the cities of Gaza was not heeded.”

Amidst the conflict in the Gaza Strip, a new round of escalation between Israel and the Shiite movement Hezbollah began after a series of explosions of communication devices in Lebanon on September 17 and 18. The Lebanese movement blamed the explosions on Israel, whose authorities did not comment directly on the incident, but announced the intensification of military operations in the northern direction.

On September 23, Israel launched Operation “Northern Arrows” against Hezbollah formations, during which it carried out massive airstrikes against the movement's military facilities in Lebanon. One of the strikes killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut on September 27. The Shiite movement confirmed his death and pledged to continue opposing Israel. 

By Khagan Isayev