There is no possibility for Hamas and Israel to reach a ceasefire agreement because Benjamin Netanyahu wants the ‘killing’ in Gaza to continue, says PA Foreign Minister Riyadh Al-Maliki, to Euronews.
“He (Benjamin Netanyahu) wants to prolong the war. A ceasefire would therefore prevent it (…) from achieving its goals and objectives“, insists Riyad Al-Maliki during an interview given Tuesday to Euronews following a meeting of European Union foreign ministers in Brussels.
“Netanyahu knows very well that if there is a cessation of hostilities (…) the Americans and many others would intervene to make permanent what is really temporary“, he explains before adding that the Israeli Prime Minister was guarding the entire region.”hostage to his own political ambitions“.
Indirect talks for a truce between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, resumed on Tuesday after the failures of recent days.
Riyad Al-Maliki, who represents the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority government in the West Bank, warns that the feared offensive on Rafah could trigger instability across the region, including potential violence in Lebanon , as well as a “regional war” involving the United States.
More than 1.4 million Palestinians are believed to have taken refuge in Rafah, on the border with Egypt. Israel claims the town is the last Hamas stronghold in the enclave and said Tuesday it had intelligence suggesting the Rafah crossing into Egypt was being used for “terrorist purposes“.
“We could see atrocities in Rafah. If this is the case, it is not only Israel that will suffer internationally, but also the United States of America“, warns Riyad Al-Maliki.
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell on Monday criticized Benjamin Netanyahu for ignoring EU warnings and continuing with the planned operation in Rafah.
Israeli authorities said Tuesday that their forces had taken control of the Gazan portion of the Rafah crossing, which is the main route for aid into the besieged territory, and had also closed the point. Kerem Shalom crossing point to the south and the Erez crossing point to the north.
According to a White House press release, the Israeli Prime Minister had nevertheless agreed with the American president on Monday evening to leave the Kerem Shalom crossing point open for humanitarian needs.
Riyad Al-Maliki said no trucks had been able to enter the Gaza Strip in the past 48 hours, warning that the situation was “really very dangerous“, not only because of the threat of bombing, but also because of the growing famine among the population of the Gaza Strip.
The “disillusionment” of the EU
Riyad Al-Maliki also discusses Ursula von der Leyen’s comments. The president of the European Commission warned last week during an election debate that a ground offensive in Rafah would be “unacceptable“.
“If you compare what she said on October 7 and what she said in the last two days about the possibility of Israel attacking Rafah (…) she is trying to say that we will watch, we are trying to take measures“.
In recent months, Ursula von der Leyen has been heavily criticized for her unwavering support for Israel and her hesitation to call on the Jewish state to exercise restraint in Gaza, where nearly 35,000 Palestinians have lost their lives since October, according to local authorities. led by Hamas.
An EU foreign affairs spokesperson said earlier on Tuesday that member states would meet to “to reflect on” to their response, should Israeli troops move on the ground in Rafah. It is unclear, however, what concrete actions are on the table, given that previous proposals to use sanctions and trade barriers to exert diplomatic pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu failed to obtain the unanimous support of all 27 member states.
Riyad Al-Maliki says he felt a “disillusionment” and an “anger“among his EU counterparts in the face of what he described as a “total violation of international law“by Israel, which is leading the region into a “total collision“.
He also welcomes the efforts made by Dublin and Madrid to recognize the State of Palestine, a move which, according to both capitals, will help advance the peace process. Riyad Al-Maliki also cites Slovenia and Malta, as well as non-EU country Norway, among the countries pushing forward the initiative.
The U.N. General Assembly is expected to debate, and could vote on Friday, a draft resolution to support Palestinian membership in the U.N., which the United States vetoed last month at the Security Council .
The Belgian foreign minister, whose country holds the EU’s biannual presidency, said her government would support the resolution as “first important step on the path to peace“.
ADVERTISEMENTThe Irish Prime Minister indicated Monday that his government and Spain intended to advance their proposal”very soon“.
Most member states are nevertheless reluctant to recognize a Palestinian state, for fear that it would call into question their solidarity with Israel.
