M5S in the European Parliament: Commission should recognize genocide in Gaza, but Kallas sidesteps

Brussels – In Gaza? No genocide. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu? Not a criminal. According to the Five Star Movement delegation in the European Parliament, something is missing in the European Commission’s communication and in the way the EU executive is addressing the Arab‑Israeli crisis: the courage or the ability to speak clearly. In a parliamentary question, the M5S delegation asks the Commission why it is unable to acknowledge that in Gaza, the Israeli government has committed acts of genocide, as determined by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. Not to mention the arrest warrant issued against the Israeli prime minister for the same crimes.

“Why will the Commission not publicly acknowledge the rulings of international courts and the UN on Israel’s crimes?” ask the signatories of the question, MEPs Gaetano Pedullà, Mario Furore, Danilo Della Valle, and Dario Tamburrano. A question that simultaneously criticizes the silence, the wavering responses, and the lack of action toward the Jewish state and its leadership.

“The EU cannot comment on proceedings that are ongoing,” replies the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, who feels compelled to point out that “the EU does not itself make legal determinations on the commission of international crimes; such qualifications require judicial findings following due process.” 

The response from the Commission, while offering assurances that the European Union ” fully respects and supports the role of international courts and UN mechanisms, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court (ICC),” shows an attitude different from the one used toward other international actors: in the case of Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, the EU executive did not hesitate to publicly denounce “war crimes,” effectively accusing the Kremlin leader of being a criminal.

The parliamentary question submitted by the Five Star Movement delegation offered an opportunity to provide clarity; instead, the response given once again reveals the double standards that have become typical of the von der Leyen–led European Commission. “The EU has repeatedly called on Israel to fully comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, in all circumstances,” Kallas stressed. The problem lies precisely here: nothing further has ever been done, unlike in the case of the Israeli authorities.