Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The open session in the European Parliament devoted to the situation in Israel and Gaza began on Wednesday morning in Strasbourg. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said to the deputies, “Hamas’ terrorism has pushed Israel and Palestine into a new spiral of violence. In this tragic hour, we must all We are redoubling our efforts to protect civilians from the brutality of this war.
I feel sad because of the bombing of Al-Ahli Hospital and the huge death toll. The European official did not explicitly condemn the bombing of the hospital and merely said, “There is no justification for bombing a hospital full of medical staff and civilians. All the facts must be proven and those responsible must be held accountable.” What was stated in Wunderlein’s speech is considered a repetition of what she said in the press conference at the conclusion of an extraordinary summit of European Union leaders via video on Tuesday evening. She said in her statements that Hamas terrorism is now bringing enormous suffering to the Palestinian people. There is no contradiction in solidarity with Israel and working to meet the humanitarian needs of the Palestinians.
Before the European Parliament session was held on Wednesday, the European Foundation published a post on the X website (formerly Twitter) and said: “The Parliament is discussing the despicable terrorist attacks launched by Hamas against Israel, and Israel’s right to defend itself in line with international humanitarian law, international law, and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.”
In another post, European Union Foreign and Security Policy Coordinator Josep Borrell said: The news refers to what happened at the National Baptist Hospital in Gaza, full of horror at the catastrophe that has been unfolding before our eyes for days. Once again, innocent people are paying a heavy price and the responsibilities for this crime must be clearly defined. and hold perpetrators accountable
Ursula Wunderlein had stated in the closing press conference of the emergency video summit on Tuesday evening, saying, “We met today in the European Council because of another heinous terrorist attack committed by Hamas against Israel. 1,400 Israelis and other citizens were slaughtered in one day. Hamas is holding nearly 200 hostages.” We demand their immediate release.
Hamas terrorism also brings enormous suffering to the Palestinian people. Let me be very clear: On Friday I was in Israel at Kibbutz Kfar Azza. This was the first place I went to. I saw blood, I saw burned houses. I saw children's toys that no child will play with anymore. There, in the presence of the Speaker of the Knesset, I said very clearly that Hamas are the terrorists, not the Palestinian people. Therefore, we have to care about the Palestinian people and their humanitarian needs. There is no contradiction in solidarity with Israel and working to meet the humanitarian needs of Palestinians.
On Saturday, I spoke with António Guterres. I informed him that the Commission is tripling humanitarian aid to the Palestinians this year. We are also establishing an air bridge to Egypt, near Gaza, so that we can quickly get aid across the border. We are in contact with the Egyptian authorities to enable our aid to enter Gaza from Egypt. UNHCR staff are in Egypt to prepare for the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. We are also making clear to the Israeli authorities that providing water to Gaza is essential. This is a basic human right.
Regarding the broader issue of financial support and development aid to Palestine: I am not aware of any EU funding going to any terrorist organisation. And it must stay that way. That is why we are conducting an internal review and will coordinate with Member States conducting their own reviews.
Regarding the broader regional context: I have recently spoken with several Arab leaders. Everyone was very clear about the importance of EU funding and that these events have the potential to drag the entire region into conflict. This would call into question the positive impact of funding our entire neighborhood. For example: About 10% of the Palestinian Authority's total funding budget comes from the European Union. Egypt already hosts large numbers of refugees. We must work and support Egypt in this current crisis and establish a comprehensive partnership