by Vera Polycarpou
After 70 days of war, over 20,000 dead 70% of whom are women and children, over 30,000 wounded, 2 million people displaced, and a new US veto at the Security Council of the United Nations, on 12 December the UN General Assembly adopted by 153 votes in favour, 10 against and 23 abstentions a resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. At the same time it expressed “grave concern at the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the suffering of the Palestinian civilian population.”
“‘Whoever wants to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state […] must support Hamas and transfer money to Hamas. That’s what we are doing. This is part of our strategy. Fund Hamas so that there will never be a Palestinian state.’ Do you know who said this? Mr. Netanyahu. In March 2019, in the Knesset.”
Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy in the plenary of the European Parliament
Just two days after the resolution, representatives of a number of UN humanitarian agencies described the humanitarian catastrophe with an even greater shock: more than one million starving people. The rights and future of women and young girls are in danger. Pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with disabilities face a high risk of infectious diseases, malnutrition and death.
Shortly before the UN General Assembly session, Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, in the plenary of the European Parliament, exposed the Prime Minister of Israel in perhaps the strongest possible way: “‘Whoever wants to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state […] must support Hamas and transfer money to Hamas. That’s what we are doing. This is part of our strategy. Fund Hamas so that there will never be a Palestinian state.’ Do you know who said this? Mr. Netanyahu. In March 2019, in the Knesset.”
The following question arises to Borrell and the EU:
What have you done to promote the EU’s policy for a two-state solution, which is the EU’s repeatedly stated position?
What have you done to protect the human rights of the Palestinian people who for decades have been suffering the violence and mass punishment of the Israeli occupation?
“Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.”
Article 2 of the EU-Member State Association Agreement with Israel
In practice, the EU has supported – and continues to support – Israel by granting it privileged relations in the internal market, access to European programmes and forging military cooperation. The EU has supported – and continues to support – Israel by providing political cover for the ongoing crimes it is committing that border on ethnic cleansing and genocide.
And all this at a time when the EU has in its hands the tools of its own European acquis. That is to say, Article 2 of the EU-Member State Association Agreement with Israel which notes the following, “Relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this Agreement.” This in itself makes the EU and its member states complicit in the crime being committed before the very eyes of all humanity.
Just as the US is also complicit many times over, which even at this very moment is sending all the necessary bombs to its closest ally so that it can continue the crime being committed. British Members of Parliament have repeatedly asked the Prime Minister to provide information on British and American flights from the British base in Akrotiri, Cyprus, to Israel in the midst of the war on Gaza. They are still waiting – as we are too – to hear from President Christodoulides whether these flights involve in the conflict and make Cyprus complicit.
Vera Polycarpou, is the Head of International Relations and European Policy and member of the Central Committee of AKEL, the Progressive Party of Working People, in Cyprus. AKEL is a longstanding affiliate organisation of Liberation and has representation on its Central Council.
This article was originally published on Sunday 17 December 2023 by the “Haravgi” (“Dawn”) newspaper, which is closely affiliated with AKEL and is one of the largest newspapers in circulation in Cyprus.
