Brussels – The risk that Israel’s war in Gaza will also involve southern Lebanon “becomes greater every day”. This is the alarm raised by a very worried Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, upon his arrival in Luxembourg for the meeting with the ministers of the 27. The increasingly strong tensions between the Israeli army and Hezbollah will also be addressed by heads of state and government of the EU at the summit on 27-28 June.
In the document of the conclusions of the European Council, on which the national diplomatic bodies are working, there will once again be space for a substantial chapter dedicated to the Middle East. According to the most recent draft viewed by Eunewsthe leaders will not only focus on the Israeli offensive in Gaza and the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the enclave, but will express concern “about the growing tensions in the region, particularly along the Blue Line, and about the increasing destruction and forced displacement of civilians on both sides of the Israeli-Lebanese border“.
The EU’s concerns – shared by its American ally – are confirmed by the announcement made yesterday by the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a television interview, he declared that the “intense phase” of the war in Gaza would be at the end of the credits and that this would allow the movement of troops towards the border with Lebanon. “For defensive purposes,” Netanyahu declared, and “to bring our residents home,” the Israeli citizens of the northern villages evacuated due to the missiles launched by the Lebanese armed group. “If we can, we will do it diplomatically. Otherwise, we will do it another way,” the Israeli prime minister threatened.
Not exactly in line with the invitation “to show restraint, to prevent further tensions and to engage in international diplomatic efforts” that should reach both sides from the European Council. Washington is also trying to make Israel see reason, insisting that a conflict with Hezbollah would in turn risk actively dragging the much more dangerous Iran into hostilities. For its part, the fear hovers in Brussels that an Israeli invasion in southern Lebanon causes a new refugee crisis towards Europe.
The head of European diplomacy has been in conflict with Netanyahu for months and even today he denounced the ongoing catastrophe in Gaza, where “the distribution of humanitarian aid has become impossible“. Despite the daily tactical pauses announced by Israel, the convoys “do not enter, the food remains stuck at the border and rots”. And this weekend “was one of the bloodiest”: over 100 Palestinians were victims of Israeli attacks in the center and south of the Strip, which once again hit UNRWA facilities, the United Nations Agency for Palestinian refugees.
The EU governments will return to these points too, first of all inviting Israel to “stop its military offensive, in line with the order of the International Court of Justice of 24 May 2024″. Urging “full, rapid and safe access to humanitarian aid” to address “catastrophic levels of hunger and the imminent risk of famine in Gaza”. Condemning “any attempt to label a UN agency (UNRWA, ed) as a terrorist organization” and “the Israeli government’s decisions to further expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.”
But Israel has been deaf to the international community’s condemnations for months. Indeed, the Tel Aviv government yesterday published a study conducted by several Israeli universities on the quantity of food distributed in Gaza during the month of May: “The quantity and quality of food aid delivered to Gaza have improved steadily since January 2024 and provide energy, proteins and fats sufficient for the population’s needs”, is the surprising conclusion of the analysis shared by Israel.
