A brutal dismissal

A brutal dismissal of Israel's aid delivery model by several nations

James Landale

There have in recent years been many international statements condemning Israel’s tactics in Gaza.

But this declaration is notable for its candour, reflecting both western frustration at Israeli intransigence and also the growing political pressure that many governments are feeling.

The signatories are largely European - plus Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan.

They nod to the most notable but unsurprising absentee, the United States, saying they support US efforts to find a ceasefire.

But they are brutal in their dismissal of the new US-supported mechanism of delivering aid in Gaza, which they condemn as the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians.

In a key paragraph, the 25 countries say they are prepared to take further action to support a ceasefire and political pathway to security and peace.

That is code for recognising a state of Palestine, something many countries have done but not all, including the UK and France.

That is one point of leverage on Israel that both countries are discussing but have yet to pull.