Lebanon: EU chief voices frustration over Netanyahu’s defiance, calls for diversification of diplomacy beyond US
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell expressed regret that neither the United States nor any other power can “stop” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who seems committed to crushing militants in Gaza and Lebanon.
“What we do is to put all diplomatic pressure to a ceasefire, but nobody seems to be able to stop Netanyahu, neither in Gaza nor in the West Bank,” Borrell stated during the UN General Assembly.
Borrell expressed his support for a 21-day ceasefire in Lebanon, proposed by France and the United States, but Israel has dismissed it, intensifying strikes on Hezbollah targets.
Netanyahu’s objective is clear: “don’t stop until Hezbollah is destroyed,” mirroring Israel’s nearly year-long campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Borrell warned, “If the interpretation of being destroyed is the same as with Hamas, then we are going to go for a long war.”
The EU foreign affairs chief highlighted the need to diversify diplomacy beyond the United States, which has failed to secure a truce in Gaza despite months of efforts. “We cannot rely just on the US. The US tried several times; they didn’t succeed,” he said, doubting their willingness to restart negotiations leading to another Camp David accord.
