The EU summit ended on Friday without a common position on the war in the Middle East. Although a majority of politicians wanted a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, some others, such as German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, rejected it.
Israel has the right to self-defense against the radical Islamist Hamas, he said. According to Scholz, the representatives agree that Hamas’s attack on Israel should be condemned. Moreover, humanitarian ceasefires are needed to send more aid to the Gaza Strip. The German government rejects a ceasefire with the same argument as the Israeli government: it would play into the hands of radical Islamist Hamas. The Austrian government also takes a similar position. There is agreement that there should be humanitarian aid for the local population, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) said after the summit. Intensive discussion took place.
Criticism of the Israeli army
The EU countries have been trying for a long time to find a common position on Middle East policy. Since Hamas’s attack on Israel in early October, the discussion has intensified. On Friday, Irish Prime Minister Leo Vardkar and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo spoke out in favor of an EU demand for a ceasefire. “That is the opinion of the citizens of Europe,” Vardkar is convinced. Terrorists can also be prosecuted without taking such massive action against the civilian population as Israel does.
The politician also criticized the fact that Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank had killed “hundreds of Palestinians,” even though these were not areas controlled by Hamas.
The divided nature of the EU had already become clear a few days ago. From the EU, only the governments of Austria and the Czech Republic, along with the US and Israel, voted against a resolution calling for a ceasefire. Most governments voted in favour, some abstained. On Thursday, some employees of the EU institutions also protested for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip (see video above).
Source: Krone
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