This article was originally published in English
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell once again compared the destruction of Gaza to German cities destroyed during World War II.
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During a debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the European Union’s foreign policy chief again compared the scale of destruction in Gaza to the damage caused to German cities during World War II.
“Gaza towns were more destroyed than German towns during World War II, imagine the comparison,” said Josep Borrell. “A recent interim damage assessment carried out by the World Bank and by the United Nations, which was financially supported by the European Union, estimated the direct damage at around 90 billion”.
The High Representative of European Diplomacy was speaking during a plenary session on the European response after the deaths of humanitarian workers, journalists and civilians in Gaza.
This is not the first time that Joseph Borrel compared the situation in Gaza with the Second World War. In December 2023, he spoke of an “apocalyptic” situation following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.
For his part, the Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) declared that the attacks against the agency supporting the Palestinians were aimed at deprive Palestinians of their refugee status.
Philippe Lazzarini made the remarks a day after presenting a report following an investigation into UNRWA into Israeli allegations that some agency staff allegedly helped Hamas during the October 7 attacks against Israel.
These claims have prompted at least 15 countries to suspend funding.
“I hope that with this report and the measures we put in place, the last group of donors will gain the confidence to return as donors and partners of the agency.”
Tuesday, the day was also marked by pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Tunisia on the occasion of the three-day visit of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Demonstrators strongly denounced Germany’s support for Israel.
In early April, Nicaragua asked the International Court of Justice, the highest court of the United Nations, to end Germany’s military aid to Israel, saying that Berlin’s support allowed the violation of international humanitarian law in Israel’s war against Hamas.
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