The European Union's foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, has said that the bloc faces a "difficult" choice between its support for the rule of law and its support for Israel, just minutes after the ICJ ruled Israeli forces should halt their offensive in Rafah.

Speaking during a European University Institute (EUI) event in Florence, Borrell said: "Let's see which is going to be the action of the European Union to the ruling of the International Court of Justice that has been issued today, which is going to be our position?"

"We will have to choose between our support to the international institutions and the rule of law, or our support to Israel, and both things is (sic) going to be quite difficult to make compatible," he added.

It came just minutes after the Hague-based top UN court called on Israel to "halt its military offensive in Rafah", citing that the Palestinian people were at an "immediate risk".

The UN estimates that some 1.4 million Palestinians are sheltering from war in the southern Gazan town, which Israel claims is Hamas' last stronghold.

Borrell also acknowledged that the EU's decision-making when it came to its response to the war in Gaza had been too sluggish due to deep rifts between EU capitals' stance on the conflict.

He called for a change to the EU's decision-making processes on foreign policy, which requires the unanimous backing of all 27 leaders.

Hungary has notably blocked or delayed key EU initiatives in response to the war, including sanctions on violent Israeli settlers as well as a joint communication calling on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to abandon plans to invade Rafah.

Borrell's opening speech was also interrupted by pro-Palestinian protesters who slammed the EU's response to the devastation and loss of life in Gaza, to whom the EU's top diplomat responded: "I understand perfectly the concern being expressed."

cl0r0x:
Yet again no one has mentioned Hamas. They fired rockets from Raffah, IDF targeted the rocket origin and everywhere is news of dead women and children. I never knew women and children fire rockets. Imagine there was no iron dome in tel aviv what would have happend?

Simple thing for the EU to do, call hamas leaders and tell them to send the hostages home for the sake of civilians.

cl0r0x:
Yet again no one has mentioned Hamas. They fired rockets from Raffah, IDF targeted the rocket origin and everywhere is news of dead women and children. I never knew women and children fire rockets. Imagine there was no iron dome in tel aviv what would have happend?

Simple thing for the EU to do, call hamas leaders and tell them to send the hostages home for the sake of civilians.

TruthU87:
A leaked video is doing its rounds on social media showing Benjamin Netanyahu talk about how Israel intentionally strikes Palestinians “painfully”. He also brags about how he deceived the United States to break the Oslo Accords and says that Americans will always support Israel if it faces backlash.

helinues:


Not justifying both Hamas and Israel actions, but when would Israel also vacate the lands they have been occupying illegally?

cl0r0x:
Yet again no one has mentioned Hamas. They fired rockets from Raffah, IDF targeted the rocket origin and everywhere is news of dead women and children. I never knew women and children fire rockets. Imagine there was no iron dome in tel aviv what would have happend?

Simple thing for the EU to do, call hamas leaders and tell them to send the hostages home for the sake of civilians.

helinues:


Not justifying both Hamas and Israel actions, but when would Israel also vacate the lands they have been occupying illegally?

TruthU87:
A leaked video is doing its rounds on social media showing Benjamin Netanyahu talk about how Israel intentionally strikes Palestinians “painfully”. He also brags about how he deceived the United States to break the Oslo Accords and says that Americans will always support Israel if it faces backlash.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKRFGS_Woww

TruthU87:
EU has to choose between supporting international rule of law institutions or Israel


https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/05/24/eu-faces-difficult-choice-between-support-to-rule-of-law-or-support-to-israel-borrell

helinues:
International rule of law should be applied.

EU should throw sentiments away