Former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says Israel is committing genocide in Gaza

Borrell called Israel's war “the largest ethnic cleansing operation since the end of the Second World War.” 

Speaking in Spain on Friday while accepting the Charles V European Award, Borrell condemned Israel’s actions and described its intentions as turning Gaza into “a splendid holiday destination once all the millions of tonnes of rubble have been cleared… and the Palestinians have died or gone away.” 

He cited Israeli leaders’ rhetoric as “clear declarations of genocidal intent,” and said, “seldom have I heard the leader of a state so clearly outline a plan that fits the legal definition of genocide.”

Borrell criticized the US and Europe for their complicity, stating, “Half of the bombs that are falling on Gaza are supplied by the Americans,” making it impossible for Washington to claim neutrality. 

“Nothing has been getting into Gaza. Nothing: no water, no food, no electricity, no fuel, no medical services,” he said, adding that “three times more explosive power has been dropped on Gaza than was used in the Hiroshima bomb.” 

As for Europe, he said it “has the capacity and the means not only to protest… but also to influence [Israel’s] conduct. But it is not doing so.”

Israeli officials have openly expressed their intentions to depopulate Gaza and even the West Bank of Palestinians. Most notably, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently admitted to a strategy that aligns with ethnic cleansing, stating, "We continue to destroy more homes in the Gaza Strip, so they have nowhere to return to. The only expected outcome will be a desire by Gazans to emigrate, but our main problem lies with the receiving countries." This statement clearly illustrates that the ongoing destruction is not incidental but a deliberate effort to make Gaza uninhabitable, thereby forcing its residents to leave. Supporting this view, U.S. President Donald Trump also acknowledged the situation, describing Gaza as "uninhabitable"—a direct result of Israel’s disproportionate military actions. Together, these admissions suggest a coordinated strategy aimed at forcibly displacing the Palestinian population and reshaping the region’s demographics.