Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: It has not yet been determined whether the detainees belong to ISIS or another organization
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Around 10 people of different nationalities, including Lebanese nationals, were detained
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese army arrested a number of people in the Matn area of Mount Lebanon with possession it has not disclosed
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: We have strong indications that there are martyrs, injuries, and trapped people in the Salah al-Din area
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Citizens should avoid Salah al-Din Street because anyone who approaches it is at risk of being directly targeted
Gaza Civil Defense spokesman: Reality is that there is a very limited retreat of the vehicles, with the occupation forces providing cover undeer fire up to Salah al-Din Street

Top EU officials demand lifting of sanctions on Syria 'immediately'

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Al Mayadeen net + Agencies
  • 9 Feb 2023 13:25
  • 5 Shares
4 Min Read

The group called for lifting sanctions on food and medical supplies immediately and urgently.

  • x
  • dasd
    Supplies sent from Tunisia reach Aleppo airport in Syria as part of the disaster relief aid on February 8, 2023. (AFP)

Activists from France and the European Union called for the urgent and immediate lifting of the economic sanctions imposed on Syria.

"For twelve years, Syria has been in the grip of an endless war," the group said in a petition.

"The unilateral sanctions, which strongly affect the civilian population, are now making the situation untenable for thousands of Syrians who are in makeshift shelters," it continued.

The statement added that amid an announced storm in the region, a simple humanitarian concern requires that the "sanctions on basic food and medical products be lifted immediately and urgently."

The group also demanded that "all NGOs and associations authorized or likely to work with the Red Cross and the ICRC be eligible to receive the funds mobilized by France and the European Union."

Read more: Western selective humanitarianism, Syria earthquake falls on deaf ears

Among the most prominent signatories to the letter are the former President of Doctors Without Borders Dr. Rony Brauman, the former French Minister of Foreign Affairs Hervé de CHARETTE, the president of the Franco-Syrian Medical Friendship Association Dr. Maher Daoud, the former Minister of Interior and Defense Pierre Joxe, and Senator Pierre Cuypers.

In this context, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced that the European Union intends to host a donors' conference in early March in Brussels to collect international aid for Syria and Turkey after the devastating earthquake that struck them on Monday.

The European official wrote in a tweet: "We are now racing against the clock to save lives together. Soon we will provide relief aid, together. Türkiye and Syria can count on the EU."

Read more: Exclusive: US sanctions preventing Syria from receiving aid - FM

Related News

Tensions ease in Sweida as all detainees released amid mediation

Fierce clashes breakout in Syria's Sweida, leading to displacement

We are now racing against the clock to save lives together.

Soon we will provide relief aid, together.

Türkiye and Syria can count on the EU.
@SwedishPM and I will host a Donors' Conference early March in Brussels.

Let’s mobilise funds globally for the affected communities.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 8, 2023

While Europe has been convening frequently to adopt sanctions against Russia and announce funds worth billions of dollars to Ukraine, it seems that the EU is in no hurry to hold an aid conference for earthquake victims until next March, almost a month after the earthquake occurred.

Following the earthquakes, several Western countries mobilized rapidly to send aid and rescue workers to Turkey but decided to exclude Syria and neglect it, by only offering condolences and merely expressing readiness to support the affected Syrians, with nothing done on the ground, in a clear act of hypocrisy and double standards.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and EU crisis management commissioner Janez Lenarcic said the European Union has mobilized 10 search and rescue teams for Turkey after Ankara requested EU assistance, claiming that the bloc was ready to support those affected in Syria too, if asked, knowing that Syria did call on the international community for help.

EU humanitarian aid Spokesperson Balazs Ujvari claimed the bloc is ready to assist Syria's quake relief efforts if needed, however, so far, no initiative has been taken while the toll of the victims of the catastrophic earthquake in Syria is rising by the hour.

US President Joe Biden on Monday said he was "deeply saddened" and promised his country's assistance after a major 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit Turkey and Syria.

However, Biden hinted that the aid will be directed to what he called US-supported "humanitarian groups" responding to the destruction in Syria, possibly in reference to NGOs operating in areas outside the control of the Syrian state, which perhaps excludes the rest of the country from any such aid, knowing that some of these organization are infamous for staging false attacks to implicate the Syrian government in crimes it has not committed.

Read more: US sanctions on Syria hinder aid supply, leave thousands under rubble

Countries besieged and sanctioned by the West were the first to come to Syria's aid in defiance of US sanctions.

Iran, Russia, and Venezuela, for example, sent humanitarian aid planes to Damascus, while Iraq established an air bridge to Syria to send urgent relief aid. Even Lebanon, which is under a suffocating economic crisis, sent a team to participate in search and rescue operations, while Tunisia, Algeria, Jordan, and the UAE did not hesitate to help Syria as well. 

It is noteworthy that official data show that the earthquake has claimed so far the lives of more than 17 thousand citizens in both Turkey and Syria.

  • Syria
  • Turkey
  • Europe
  • EU
  • earthquake
  • European Union

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS