EU foreign policy chief warns Israel ‘deliberate starvation’ of Palestinians a war crime
Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, has issued a stern warning that deliberately starving civilians is a war crime and Israel’s government must “distance itself” from comments by far-right Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich.
In a post on social media and in a statement, Borrell described as “beyond ignominious” a recent public statement by Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich in which he said causing “2 million civilians to die of hunger” could be “justified and moral” until Israeli captives held in Gaza are released.
“It demonstrates, once again, his contempt for international law and for basic principles of humanity,” Borrell said of the ultra-nationalist Smotrich.
“We expect the Israeli government to unequivocally distance itself from the words of Minister Smotrich, as well as to establish transparency on the reported acts of torture in the Sde Teiman prison,” he said.
Germany and France also condemned the minister’s comments separately, and the UN and US have called for Israel to fully investigate allegations of abuse and torture of Palestinian detainees by Israeli soldiers at its prisons, including sexual abuse.
Deliberate starvation of civilians is a war crime: Minister Smotrich advocating for it is beyond ignominious.
We expect the IL government to distance itself from his words. And provide full account of the reported acts of torture in the Sde Teiman prisonhttps://t.co/khccWg3DVs
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) August 7, 2024
US ‘appalled’ by Smotrich’s remarks on starving entire population of Gaza: Report
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s comments earlier this week suggesting that starving the entire population of Gaza could be justified in order to secure the release of the Israeli captives has “appalled” the US administration, according to The Times of Israel.
“We are appalled by these comments and reiterate that this rhetoric is harmful and disturbing,” a State Department spokesperson said in a statement to the Israeli newspaper.
The statement added that US President Joe Biden and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have repeatedly stressed “the need to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, remove any obstacles to the flow of aid and restore basic services for those in need”.
Iran condemns ‘heinous’ remarks by Israel’s Smotrich on starving Palestinians
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has said the “heinous and horrific” statements of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich about the killing of two million Palestinians by starvation “deserve international prosecution”.
“The statements of this member of the Zionist criminal gang are only a kind of public declaration and confession,” the ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on X.
Kanaani also called on the European Union to “fulfill its international, moral and humanitarian responsibilities” against Israel and end political support instead of limiting itself by verbal condemnation of Smotrich’s statements.
UK’s top diplomat calls on Israeli government to condemn Smotrich’s remarks
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has called on the Israeli government to retract and condemn Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s remarks on starving the entire population of Gaza. He said “there can be no justification” for the statements.
“International law could not be more clear – the deliberate starvation of civilians is a war crime,” Lammy added.
International law could not be more clear - the deliberate starvation of civilians is a war crime.
There can be no justification for Minister Smotrich’s remarks and we expect the wider Israeli government to retract and condemn them.
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) August 7, 2024
Palestinian Foreign Ministry demands ICC arrest warrant for Israel’s Smotrich
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has released a statement demanding punitive action against Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s far-right finance minister.
Smotrich suggested earlier this week that Israel should allow the starvation of two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and that it would be justified, but that the international community would not allow it.
“Smotrich’s statements are an explicit admission of adopting and bragging about the policy of genocide,” the ministry’s statement said, adding that the comments are a “direct expression of the ugliest forms of fascism.”
The ministry said that Smotrich issued a direct challenge to international law and the International Criminal Court in his statements, and that the court should respond with an arrest warrant.
