Gaza – Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

The Slovak Foreign Ministry announced this morning, Thursday, that the government has decided to decline joining the World Peace Council proposed by the US President. This comes amidst continued European criticism and skepticism regarding the legitimacy of US President Donald Trump's initiative, dubbed the Peace Council. Following statements on the matter by European Council President Antonio Costa, several European capitals, including Rome, The Hague, Berlin, and Paris, expressed their refusal to join the initiative.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on US President Donald Trump to amend the charter of the newly announced "Peace Council," pointing to constitutional obstacles preventing Italy's participation. This comes at a time of growing European doubts about the initiative's legitimacy and its compatibility with the UN Charter.

The West Bank is witnessing an escalation of violence, with ongoing raids and arrests by the Israeli army, alongside attacks by settlers against Palestinians in several areas. In this context, local sources reported that settlers set fire to several homes belonging to the Khirbet al-Sidra Bedouin community, near the village of Mikhmas, northeast of Jerusalem, on Wednesday evening. A young Palestinian man was injured early Thursday morning after being run over by an Israeli military jeep east of Nablus, according to the Brussels-based European news network Euronews.

Regarding the Gaza Strip, the official Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported disagreements between Israel and Egypt concerning the number of people who will be allowed to enter and exit through the Rafah crossing, which is expected to open in both directions on Sunday. The report noted that there was no immediate comment from Egyptian authorities on this information.

Since May 2024, Israel has controlled the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing as part of its ongoing military operations in the Gaza Strip, which began in October 2023. Internationally, Ramiz Alekperov, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, stated that the Gaza Strip is currently at a "potential turning point" that opens the door to a better future, while simultaneously warning that this moment presents both "great opportunities and grave risks."

This statement was made during the Security Council's periodic meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. Sixty-nine delegates, including the fifteen members of the Security Council, are scheduled to speak at the meeting. According to the UN daily news bulletin, a copy of which we received Thursday morning, the key points of Alekperov's briefing included:

A potential turning point for Gaza and a real opportunity for a better future, amidst a climate of uncertainty.

The continued deterioration in the occupied West Bank and the policies of the Israeli government have facilitated a number of destructive trends. A meeting was held in Cairo with the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza to discuss how best to support the Committee's efforts.

The return of the remains of the last hostage from Gaza to Israel was welcomed.

Optimism was expressed regarding the announcement of the opening of the Rafah crossing on both sides.

Disarmament in the Gaza Strip is essential.

The pressure campaign against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) intensified.