Israel’s allies must say hard truths for his aggressive military response against Hamas, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis points out in his interview with Politico published today.
“I think that the E.U. she was very clear from the beginning, she acknowledged it Israel’s right to self-defense, based on international law and especially international humanitarian law. As the days go by, we are concerned about the plight of innocent civilians and the horrific scenes coming out of Gaza. And while we recognize that Israel has the right to protect itself, how he does it matters a lot” the prime minister initially emphasized.
He emphasized that Athens is in favor of the need “to reach humanitarian aid to Gaza, to strengthen the negotiations for the release of the hostages and to help the civilians in Gaza, who want to leave (…) to leave safely”. There is, as he pointed out, “a great deal of concern about the proportionality of the Israeli response. I speak as a friend of Israel. And I think sometimes friends have to tell hard truths to friends.”
“Because of our geography, if we can move humanitarian aid in an organized way and ensure that that aid reaches those who really need it most, we will be happy to do that. We had a plane that landed in Egypt, delivering humanitarian aid and if we can explore the possibility of a sea corridor it would need the full protection of all parties involved to ensure that ships could have safe access to Gaza,” he said. Mr. Mitsotakis.
“Without undermining the strategic goal of defeating Hamas, it is important to consider the “next day” and how we will find a political solution to the conflict” he said and reiterated the need for “humanitarian pauses”. He called on Israel to show “restraint” but also to listen to his allies and although he pointed out that he cannot intervene in the country’s business plan, the consequences of this are “tragic. Thousands of women and children have lost their lives.” “At the end of the day, one has to recognize what is the price that he has to pay to defeat Hamas,” he added.
