EU slams US over silence on Gaza death toll amid arms supply to Israel

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has sharply criticised the Joe Biden administration for not lamenting the rising death toll in Gaza while simultaneously supplying Israel with heavy weapons for its military campaign.

Speaking in Brussels on Monday, Borrell urged Washington to stop sending the Jewish state weapons since too many people are being killed in Gaza.

This comes after Israeli forces bombarded the southern Gazan town of Rafah.

“How many times have you heard the most prominent leaders and foreign ministers around the world saying: ‘Too many people are being killed”? President Biden said: ‘This is over the top,” Borrell said, referring to Biden’s recent remarks.

“Well, if you believe that too many people are being killed, maybe you should provide less arms in order to prevent so many people being killed.”

He added, “It is a little bit contradictory to continue saying that there are too many people being killed, please take care of people, please don’t kill so many”.

Borrell called for action to avert more deaths in Gaza. “Stop saying please and start doing something.”

Borrell’s critique came hours after an appeals court in the Netherlands ordered the government to stop deliveries of parts of F-35 fighter jets to Israel for fears Dutch exports could be contributing to violations of international law in light of the ICJ ruling.

There is growing frustration from global leaders against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is accused of not heeding advice on how to handle the Gaza situation.

The EU top diplomat vented that Netanyahu is not “listening to anyone”.

Washington is Israel’s most important foreign arms provider.

It gives the Middle East country $3.8 billion in military aid annually, ranging from fighter jets to powerful bombs.

The Biden administration has so far not heeded any pleas to cut such aid.