'Only the US Can Resolve Israeli-Palestinian Tension', EU Says

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell on Thursday admitted that the EU does not have the capacity to resolve the conflict in the Middle East, which is something only the United States could do "assuming it wanted to."

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"We call for an end to the escalation of tension, conflict, and civilian deaths. At this point, however, only the United States has the capacity to put pressure on Israel. Europe has not had it for a long time," he acknowledged at a forum organized by the Elcano Royal Institute.

Borrell also said that a resolution of the conflict through the coexistence of two states is an increasingly difficult solution if such a possibility still exists.

"For years now, the world has looked the other way, wanting to forget the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But the problem is still there and what is happening is the manifestation of the desperation of the Palestinian people, who see no viable way out of their situation," Borrell pointed out.

He also asked that the financial contribution and humanitarian support from Brussels, without which "the situation would be much worse," should not be disregarded. Borrell acknowledged, however, that such support "does not solve the problem." 

Since the beginning of this week, Israeli army bombardments in Gaza have resulted in the destruction of hundreds of civilian properties and the death of 83 Palestinians, 17 of whom are minors.

In Israel, five adults and two minors were also killed by Hamas rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.