The European Union will not interrupt its aid to the Palestinian people. “The vast majority of European foreign ministers, with the exception of two or three, have clearly said that cooperation with the Palestinian Authority (PA) must continue,” summarized the EU High Representative for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, after the extraordinary conclave held today, Tuesday, to evaluate the situation. “There has been a clear distinction between Hamas, the Palestinian people and the PA,” he stressed. “Not all Palestinians are terrorists and such a punishment would be unfair and counterproductive to our interests and to peace.”
Europe thus distances itself from the unexpected idea launched the day before by Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi to immediately suspend all community aid to the Palestinians, an announcement as categorical as it is incorrect according to the European Commission itself, which yesterday washed its hands of the communication chaos. created and accused the Hungarian politician, sent by Viktor Orbán, of acting on his own. “Varhelyi’s announcement was not preceded by consultations with any other member of the college, that must be clear,” said the spokesperson for the president of the institution, Ursula von der Leyen.
Brussels is going to carry out an urgent audit of all the aid pending execution, 691 million euros in total to ensure that not one euro reaches Hamas “through the back door”, but the decision does not affect the aid. humanitarian (28 million euros in 2023). “This exercise cannot be an excuse to postpone payments,” Borrell stressed after Germany, Austria and Sweden have preventively suspended all their aid to the Palestinians. Given the situation on the ground, “in the future we will have to do more, not less,” Borrell noted.
Beyond the firm condemnation of the Hamas terrorist attack on Saturday, the EU’s position on the Palestinian conflict brings together very different political sensitivities and this is reflected in the message agreed upon yesterday by the Twenty-Seven. “Israel must respect international humanitarian law” and “cutting off electricity and food” to Gaza “is not in accordance with international law,” Borrell emphasized, citing the evaluation of the events carried out by the United Nations services.
In parallel, the great European powers have agreed with Washington to express their “firm support” for Israel. The leaders of the United States, France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom published a joint statement yesterday in which they condemn the terrorist actions of Hamas and announce that they “will assist Israel in its efforts to defend itself and its people from these atrocities.” without setting any conditions, as the EU does. The statement warns other actors “hostile” to Israel not to try to take advantage of the situation; The first version of the statement released by the Elysée mistakenly stated what was obvious, that this message was directed at Iran.
