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211 EU staff express concerns over Gaza in letter to top officials

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Guardian
24 May 2024 15:28

Over 200 EU staff members have signed a letter criticizing the EU's handling of the war in Gaza, arguing it undermines international law and core European values, and plan to deliver it to top EU officials.

A man holds a European Union flag as he walks outside the European Commission building during Europe Day celebrations in Brussels on May 4, 2024. (AP)

More than 200 staff members from EU institutions and agencies, in their capacity as citizens, have collectively voiced their "growing concern" regarding the EU's handling of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, asserting that it contradicts the organization's fundamental principles and mission of fostering peace.

The letter, signed by 211 individuals, directly addresses the EU's top three officials, condemning the Israeli response to Operation Al Aqsa Flood, but also condemned the operation on October 7 "in the strongest terms".

Referring to the January ruling by the International Court of Justice, which indicated a credible risk to Palestinians under the Genocide Convention, the letter cautions that the EU's "continued apathy to the plight of Palestinians" threatens to normalize a global order where sheer violence, rather than a rule-based system, dictates state security, territorial integrity, and political independence.

"It was precisely to avert such a grim world order that our grandparents, witnesses of the horrors of World War II, created Europe," the letter read.

Moreover, the letter underscored that "To stand idly by in the face of such an erosion of the international rule of law would mean failing the European project as envisaged by them. This cannot happen in our name."

Zeno Benetti, one of the organizers, stated that the letter, which was shared exclusively with The Guardian, was written by a small group of staff members.

"We couldn’t believe that our leaders who were so vocal about human rights and who described Europe as the beacon of human rights were suddenly so silent about the crisis unfolding in Gaza," he said.

"It’s like suddenly we were asked to turn a blind eye on our values and on the values that we were allegedly working for. And for us, this was not acceptable."

Organizers initially aimed to gather 100 signatures, but this goal was quickly exceeded as word spread. Zeno Benetti stressed that the initiative was not intended to be pro-Palestinian or to take a partisan stance on the war "Rather, we signed because we think that what’s happening is jeopardizing principles of international law that we deem important and that we take for granted," he explained.

According to The Guardian, the letter is scheduled to be delivered on Friday to Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament, and Charles Michel, the President of the European Council.

Recognizing state of Palestine not a 'gift' to Hamas: Borrell

In a statement today, European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell expressed that recognizing a Palestinian state does not make it a 'gift' to Hamas.

He said, "Recognizing the Palestinian state is not a gift to Hamas, quite the contrary," adding, "The Palestinian Authority is not Hamas, on the contrary, they are deeply confronted."

He even revealed that the EU has already negotiated, financed, and met with the Palestinian Authority. "Every time someone makes the decision to support a Palestinian state, ... the reaction of Israel is to transform it into an antisemitic attack," he concluded.

This comes a mere day after Ireland announced that it recognizes the state of Palestine, as confirmed by Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris, who said: "Today, Ireland, Norway, and Spain are announcing that we recognize the state of Palestine," adding, "Each of us will now undertake whatever national steps are necessary to give effect to that decision."

"I'm confident that further countries will join us in taking this important step in the coming weeks."

He highlighted Ireland's role and history in this by saying, "Taking our place on the world stage and being recognized by others as having the right to be there was a matter of the highest importance for the founders of our state."

Meanwhile, AP quoted Norway's Prime Minister as saying that the country's official recognition of Palestine as a state will take effect on May 28, which Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide has also confirmed.

In a quick response to retaliate, the Israeli Foreign Ministry declared on Wednesday that it recalled its ambassadors to Ireland and Norway.

After Spain announced its recognition of Palestine, "Israel" also recalled the ambassador to Spain for "consultations" and reprimanded and condemned all Spanish, Norwegian, and Irish ambassadors after all three countries announced their recognitions.