EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell yesterday called upon Israel’s government to “unequivocally distance itself from these incitements to commit war crimes,” citing the pro-genocide remarks of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Borrell’s posting yesterday also said that Israeli ministers who incite “war crimes” should face EU sanctions.
Smotrich had complained last week that Israel is not being allowed to wage war on Gaza, since warfare, for him, includes starving civilians, and “no one in the world would let us starve and thirst 2 million citizens, even though it may be just and moral until they return our hostages.” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk reacted to Smotrich’s remarks by saying, “the starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is a war crime.… This direct and public statement risks inciting other atrocity crimes. Such statements, especially by public officials, must cease immediately, they must be investigated and if found to amount to a crime, must be prosecuted and punished.”
