Brussels – The European Parliament, after two years of debate, passed its first resolution on Israel and Gaza today (11 September). A step forward and a missed opportunity: if it is true that the MEPs are finally calling for measures to end the conflict, they succeed in doing so even later than the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and without going any further than what she said yesterday. And on closer inspection, the final text adopted by the chamber displeases almost everyone.
Condemnation of Israel’s blocking of humanitarian aid, respect for international law, an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, yes to the partial suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement on trade and sanctions against the most extremist ministers in the government led by Benjamin Netanyahu, and a call for member states to recognise the State of Palestine: These are the stakes put in black and white by the resolution tabled by the Socialists, Liberals, and Greens and adopted with 305 votes in favour, 151 against and 122 abstentions. The People’s Party split, having already withdrawn yesterday by refusing to sign the joint motion for a resolution with the other majority groups: among the Christian Democrats, 82 were in favour, 56 against and six abstained. Among the yes votes were those of the Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and the far-right Patriots and Sovereignists. And part of the European Left group.
The socialists highlight the glass half full: according to Sandro Ruotolo, of the Democratic Party, “today the European Parliament has chosen to stand on the side of law and dignity of peoples.” For the Dems, the call for the recognition of the State of Palestine is a “historic message”, and the partial suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement “means that political and economic relations with Israel cannot continue as if nothing had happened, while in Gaza international law continues to be violated and the civilian population continues to be hit.” The Renew Liberals claim to have “made every effort to obtain a majority in favour of urgent action to end the humanitarian crisis and famine caused by the Israeli government and to achieve a permanent ceasefire.”
However, any indication that famine is “man-made” has been omitted from the final text whenever it is mentioned. As did two paragraphs laying bare the responsibilities of the European institutions for not having “reacted with the urgency that the gravity of the catastrophic situation in Gaza requires” and calling for reflection on the severe damage this has done to “the EU’s credibility not only in the eyes of the Global South, but also in the eyes of our citizens.”
These are some of the “ameliorative amendments” that Carlo Fidanza, head of the Fratelli d’Italia delegation in the EU Parliament, is talking about. But not enough to “achieve the balance that we would have liked and that the drama of Gaza would have required.” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s delegation, the largest in the ECR, called it quits, along with the rest of the group.
So did the delegation of the 5 Star Movement, which points out the glass is half empty: for Danilo della Valle, the resolution “is very weak” because it lacks any reference to the genocidal intent of the Israeli government in Gaza. “Withdrawing the amendment signed by the Socialists condemning the genocide a few minutes before the vote represents a betrayal of the memory of over 60,000 civilians killed in the attacks and bombings by the Israeli army,” stresses the 5-Star MEP, who brands the message triggered by the text as an “embarrassed slap in the face to Netanyahu that will do nothing to stop him.”
On closer inspection, something is indeed missing, and someone is aware of this even in the socialist family: “We would have liked there to be a reference to the ongoing genocide and the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in its entirety, not just the trade part,” admits the Dem MEP Cecilia Strada. And she promises: “These are battles on which we will continue to engage starting tomorrow.”
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
