Debate: War in the Gaza Strip and the need to reach a ceasefire, including recent developments in the region
Date: TUESDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 2024
Speaker: Janez Lenarčič
Language: EN

A recent health report from Johns Hopkins and the University of London predicts that more than 60 000 civilians will die unless there is a ceasefire and a massive surge in aid very soon. After almost five months of war and destruction, our focus must be on achieving an agreement for an immediate end to fighting to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe, save lives and free the remaining 130 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza.  Twenty-six of our Member States share that call. In unison with most of the international community, we have urged Israel not to advance on Rafah. It would have humanitarian consequences of incredible proportions. Over 1 million Palestinians that have been displaced there and have nowhere else to go.  Under these circumstances, the work of the United Nations, including UNRWA, remains crucial. UN Secretary-General Guterres and Commissioner General Lazzarini are taking the Israeli allegations against UNRWA’s staff very seriously and have taken immediate, decisive measures.  We must recognise the high-risk environment UNRWA operates in, and cannot resort to collective punishment or contribute to the further humanitarian collapse in Gaza, considering UNRWA’s literally vital role for the people in Gaza.  But UNRWA is also essential for the stability in the region – Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and in the West Bank – in line with EU values. And while we are working constructively with UNRWA on the reinforcement of their internal controls, an audit carried by EU-appointed experts and the vetting system for their staff, it remains of crucial importance to provide UNRWA with adequate funding. A funding gap would have catastrophic consequences. We have to be clear: there is simply no substitute for UNRWA, now and for the day after.  Individual accountability must be ensured, but collective punishment cannot be the answer. The situation in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is equally concerning; demolitions, settlement construction, restrictions on movement and access, as well as settler violence have all surged since 7 October.  On the adoption of sanctions on violent Israeli settlers, we have an agreement at 26. But as you know, we need unanimity to adopt EU restrictive measures similar to those imposed by the United States months ago. Some Member States have introduced national entry bans. We will continue to work towards a coordinated approach on this issue.  With Ramadan approaching in two weeks’ time, there is an acute risk that the situation could get further out of hand in the West Bank and in the region if we do not act decisively. For months, we have been urging Hamas to release the hostages and for Israel to protect civilians, increase humanitarian access, seriously confront settler violence, release essential revenues with help from the Palestinian Authority and desist from actions that risk aggravating an already explosive situation.  We have also urged both Hezbollah and Israel to contain the dangerously spiralling violence across the Israeli-Lebanese border. There has been no substantial progress.  Meanwhile, the current escalation has been a political windfall for extremists across the region who thrive on polarisation and misery. All Iranian backed militias are active from Yemen to Lebanon. I am worried about possible miscalculations that would trigger a wider conflict. All diplomatic channels must be used to prevent further escalation, be it in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq or the Red Sea, where freedom of navigation is threatened by Houthi attacks on commercial vessels.  The EU is playing its role by deploying a naval operation called Aspides to escort and defend commercial vessels. It is the seventh EU operation that High Representative / Vice President has launched during his mandate and it is a new illustration of the importance for the EU to develop its military capacities.  But we must move beyond treating symptoms to treating the cause. Israelis, Palestinians and all peoples of the region deserve to live in security, dignity and a stable neighbourhood. But we all know that there is only one viable and sustainable way to achieve all these objectives: a safe and secure Palestinian State next to a safe and secure State of Israel.