I Am Shocked! (not really): Top EU official backs Israel's crimes in occupied Gaza

Ali Abunimah, The Electronic Intifada, 24 January 2008

Contributed by Lucia in Spain

"A top European Union official has offered full backing for Israel as it continues its illegal blockade of fuel, food, medicine and other vital supplies to the occupied Gaza Strip that has led to a growing humanitarian crisis.

At a conference in the Israeli town of Herzliya on 22 January, Franco Frattini, the vice president of the European Commission, stated that "the steps leading up to the Gaza blackout cannot be construed as a war crime," according to a report on Ynetnews.com, a website published by the Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot. (Dana Zimmerman, "Top EU official: Gaza siege not a war crime," Ynetnews.com, 22 January 2007.)

A published text of Frattini's comments did not address the issue of war crimes, but blamed Hamas for the crisis.....

Frattini's comments apparently denying the illegality of Israeli actions directly contradict those of other senior EU officials. The 27-nation union's External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner went on record that she is "against this collective punishment of the people of Gaza." (Yossi Lempkowicz, "EU Commissioner: 'I am against collective punishment of Gaza,'" European Jewish Press, 21 January 2008.)....

.....Solana's spokesperson affirmed that "as expressed by Mrs Ferrero-Waldner, Mr. Solana agrees with the use of the term 'collective punishment' to describe Israel's actions." However, Solana's office refused to comment on the substance of Frattini's remarks or whether they represented an official EU position.

Other international officials, incuding John Dugard, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, have in recent days affirmed that Israel's actions, including the killing and wounding of dozens of civilians, and the blockade, constitute serious violations of international law.....

The decision of the EU to allow an official with as high a rank as Frattini to speak in Israel in this manner in the midst of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza may be intended to send a signal of tacit EU support for Israel's actions against Gaza despite words of criticism from other officials."