The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights has strongly criticized the European Union’s response to the ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip, asserting that the EU is not meeting its international obligations regarding serious crimes allegedly committed by ISRAEL. The organization contends that the EU’s proposed measures are “selective and partial” and fail to exert real pressure to halt what it describes as a “genocide” that has persisted for over twenty-three months.

According to the observatory, the measures proposed by the President of the European Commission, URSULA VON DER LEYEN, are “formal and marginal, lacking seriousness and rigor,” and merely circumvent the EU’s legal obligations. The organization insists that the EU remains responsible under international law for its actions and failures in addressing the situation in the GAZA Strip.

The “Union’s case” speech by VON DER LEYEN to the European Parliament in STRASBOURG included proposals such as separating trade from the European-Israeli partnership agreement, halting direct financial payments to the Israeli government or its institutions, and imposing sanctions on Israeli extremist ministers and settlers.Additionally, she suggested establishing a donor group for PALESTINE with a special mechanism for the reconstruction of GAZA.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory argues that these proposals are a superficial political maneuver, as the EU allegedly ignores essential measures required by international law. These include fully suspending the partnership agreement with ISRAEL, ceasing all military exchange, and imposing binding penalties on institutions and officials involved in crimes committed in the GAZA Strip.

EU’s Obligations to Victims

“The catastrophic situation in the gaza Strip calls for an urgent and decisive intervention to protect civilians and mitigate their suffering.”

The organization emphasizes that the EU has direct legal obligations to provide reparations to victims and compensate them for crimes committed in the GAZA Strip. This responsibility stems from the EU’s political, economic, and military support of ISRAEL, and also the direct participation of some European countries in these alleged crimes. The establishment of a donor group does not absolve the EU of these obligations, as each country remains responsible for its actions.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory highlights that the EU’s proposal for formal measures against ISRAEL comes shortly after expressing satisfaction with “monitoring Israel’s commitment to the last agreement to improve the arrival of humanitarian aid to GAZA.” However, the organization notes that ISRAEL has not implemented this agreement, and the situation has deteriorated to the point of official starvation in the region, without any subsequent action from the EU.

Call for Decisive Intervention

The organization warns that limiting measures to stopping some forms of support while maintaining others will not exert real pressure on ISRAEL to end the alleged genocide. The catastrophic situation in the GAZA Strip requires an urgent and decisive intervention to protect civilians and mitigate their suffering, as well as to stop Israeli actions in GAZA City.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory cautions that symbolic and ineffective measures towards ISRAEL are counterproductive, as they are perceived as merely formal and lacking deterrent effect.this approach allegedly gives ISRAEL a sense of impunity and enables it to continue escalating its actions and violations of international law.

The organization claims that European governments continue to provide political and legal cover for ISRAEL’s actions, despite internal evaluations and public statements by European officials acknowledging grave and systematic violations of international humanitarian law, some of which may constitute genocide.

the Euro-Mediterranean Observatory states that the EU conducted three official reviews in the past year regarding ISRAEL’s compliance with the “human rights” clause in Article Two of the Partnership Agreement. these reviews allegedly showed strong indications of ISRAEL’s violation of its contractual obligations. Tho, the European Commission, the Union Council, and Parliament have not implemented any corrective mechanisms, such as suspending commercial privileges, freezing cooperation tools, or activating conflict settlement mechanisms.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory for Human Rights urges the EU to take measures that are appropriate to the size of the humanitarian catastrophe in the GAZA Strip and not to be satisfied with formal measures that will not alleviate the suffering of the Palestinians or affect ISRAEL.

The organization calls for the activation of all legal and political mechanisms within the EU system to hold ISRAEL accountable and end the policy of impunity, including resorting to the principle of global judicial jurisdiction to pursue perpetrators of international crimes and opening national investigations to hold european citizens involved in these crimes.

The Euro-Mediterranean Observatory urges the EU to effectively support the efforts of the International Criminal Court, including the issuance and implementation of arrest warrants against Israeli officials involved in the crimes committed in GAZA and other occupied Palestinian territories, and to refuse any political intervention to protect them.