EU condemns Palestinian rocket fire into Israel and calls for de-escalation

#eudebates #Jerusalem #Palestinians #Palestine #Israel
“The firing of rockets from Gaza against civilian populations in Israel is totally unacceptable and feeds escalatory dynamics,” the European Commission said in a statement issued late on Monday.

“The significant upsurge in violence in the occupied West Bank, including in East Jerusalem as well as in and around Gaza needs to stop immediately,” it added.

The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Monday condemned evictions of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem, calling them illegal and saying they only served to fuel tensions on the ground.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also condemned the rocket attacks from Gaza against Israel on Monday and urged al sides to take steps to reduce tensions.

The significant upsurge in violence in the occupied West Bank, including in East Jerusalem as well as in and around Gaza needs to stop immediately.

The firing of rockets from Gaza against civilian populations in Israel is totally unacceptable and feeds escalatory dynamics.

All leaders have a responsibility to act against extremists. The status quo of the holy sites must be fully respected.

We reiterate our call on all sides to engage in de-escalatory efforts. Further civilian casualties must be prevented as a priority.

- EU LEFT -
EU complicity with oppression of Palestinians fuels violent impunity

Israel must immediately end the persecution and repression against the Palestinian people, intensified in the last weeks with the threat of eviction against the residents of Sheikh Jarrah, a Palestinian neighbourhood in Israeli-occupied Jerusalem.

“Israel has inflicted brutal violence against Palestinians in Jerusalem who are resisting their forced dispossession so settlers can take their place. This is part of Israel’s ongoing attempts to erase the Palestinian presence from the city,” said Manu Pineda, the chair of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Palestine.

“To make things worse, Israel is doubling down on its collective punishment of the besieged Gaza Strip with a ruthless bombing campaign, supported by European and American arms. Children were the first casualties of this barbarity. The EU must demand an immediate cease-fire before more lives are lost.”

Pineda said that the EU’s words of condemnation are inconsequential as long as it continues to extend a generous hand to Israel:

“In face of this increased repression and violence from Israel, we not only expect statements of condemnation from EU officials. The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has the responsibility to move from words to action and ensure accountability for these crimes starting with unconditional support for the ongoing investigation in the ICC.

“We cannot continue having an Association Agreement with a country that systematically violates its core article on human rights. The EU must move to terminate it, along with the associated cooperation programmes, like Horizon Europe and Erasmus+. As several reports have highlighted, EU money has been used to fund entities in illegal settlements and to subsidise Israel’s arms industry.

“The EU expresses nominal opposition to Israel’s illegal settlements while allowing trade with them worth millions every year. The Commission must implement an immediate ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements: no more settlement products in the EU’s single market!” Pineda concluded.

[RedzicMuharem]

Condemn all you want, the problem will never end without action. You are so fast to react when oil is in the question, but when human rights matter no one moves a muscle.

[christygodfrey]

Thank God Ireland stands with Palestine and not Israel🇮🇪❤🇵🇸

[redsmile]

wtf. what about israel troops barging in a mosque?

[gustavusadolphus]

Europe must support Israel 🇮🇱 in its fight against terror.

[Dennis-J-Vandennouweland]

Who is this Peter-man? Is he a spokesman of the High Representation of the European Union or a kind of civil servant of the E.C.

Greetings from a European Citizen.

[mrorganic]

wtf EU... who start the war first ? shame on u EU..