EU Commission distancing from Genocide assertion over Gaza conflict
In a controversial move, the European Union (EU) Commission, led by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, has accused Israel of violating human rights and international humanitarian law in its military actions in the Gaza Strip. The analysis, conducted on October 7, 2023, has sparked outrage in Israel and raised questions about the EU's ability to act cohesively.
The EU Commission's analysis, which forms the basis of a proposed sanction against Israel, specifically mentions thousands of civilian deaths and a rising number of cases of severe malnutrition, particularly among children. The proposed sanction involves suspending cooperation under the Horizon Europe research funding program.
However, it's important to note that the EU Commission has not taken a position on the genocide question, according to a spokesperson. A spokesperson in Brussels clarified that Vice-President Teresa Ribera, a Spaniard, did not speak on behalf of the Brussels institution when she used the term genocide in a speech at the Paris elite university Sciences Po. The courts are expected to decide on the genocide question, as per the spokesperson.
Teresa Ribera's remarks about the "genocide in Gaza" exposed "Europe's failure" to act together and speak with one voice, she said in her speech at Sciences Po. Her comments have been met with criticism from Israel, with a spokesperson from Israel's Foreign Ministry dismissing her remark as baseless and unacceptable, accusing her of becoming "a mouthpiece for Hamas propaganda."
Israel defends its actions in Gaza as a necessary response to a terrorist attack by Hamas and other extremists on October 7, 2023. The country's goals in Gaza include the release of all hostages taken to the Gaza Strip and the disempowerment and disarmament of Hamas.
Despite the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the EU member states have not agreed on the proposed EU Commission sanction against Israel. This failure to act has been a point of contention for Vice-President Ribera, who referred to it in her remarks about the EU's inability to act.
The EU Commission, under the leadership of Ursula von der Leyen, has not initially referred to Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip as genocide. The courts are expected to make a decision on the genocide question in due course. The EU's analysis and proposed sanction against Israel are significant developments in the ongoing conflict and will be closely watched by both sides.
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