Call Gaza's Retaliation And Blockade Violating International Law, EU Official: Israel Has The Right To Defend Itself, But...

Josep Borrell. (Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

JAKARTA - EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday accused Israel of blockade and Israel's actions in Gaza in response to attacks by the Hamas group, violating international law.

After an emergency meeting to discuss the impact of the attack, Borrell also said the majority of EU foreign ministers supported the continuation of aid payments for the Palestinian Authority, which rules the West Bank.

Repeating EU criticism of the Hamas attack that killed more than 1,000 Israelis, the majority of civilians, but he said Israel's response, which has so far killed 770 Gazans according to local officials, must be in line with international humanitarian law, as was the decision to impose a total blockade against Gaza in violation of this standard.

"Israel has the right to defend itself, but it must be done in accordance with international law, humanitarian law, and some decisions against international law," he told reporters after the meeting.

Borrell said the United Nations had stated that "putting off the flow of water, cutting off electricity, cutting food for many civilians was against international law".

Israel criticized the UN statement, accusing the head of the world's human rights agency of failing to denounce Hamas as a terrorist.

Borrell stressed that the EU is not working with Hamas, which controls Gaza and is classified by the EU as a terrorist organization. However, he said it was very important for them to continue to provide assistance to help Palestinian civilians through the Palestinian Authority.

"The collective punishment of all Palestinians is unfair and unproductive," he said.

The 27-member European Union says it is the largest external aid provider for Palestine.

Last year, they gave about 283 million euros (USD 299.78 million) to support the Palestinian Authority and the UN's main body for Palestinian refugees and other projects, according to the European Commission.

Borrell is known to have invited Israeli and Palestinian foreign ministers to take part via video conference at the meeting in Muscat, Oman.

However, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen did not want to participate in the meeting which would also be attended by Palestinian Authority Minister Riyad al-Maliki, so no one took part, officials said.