EU officials issue warnings: Gaza on brink of critical tipping point
In a powerful and unprecedented move, over 1,500 European Union (EU) civil servants have penned a letter to urge the EU to take decisive action to address the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza. The letter, available with the Business Recorder, calls for immediate and lasting change.
The officials predict a grim future, warning that without immediate and large-scale restoration of aid, Gaza could witness over 100 starvation-related deaths per day within weeks. The letter underscores the "moral and legal imperative" bound by Article 2 of the agreement, which obliges all parties to uphold human rights.
The letter accuses Israel of enforcing a blockade on food, baby formula, and medical supplies into Gaza. It also references a now-public report by Olof Skoog, the former EU Special Representative for Human Rights, detailing alleged Israeli violations of international law in Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon.
The communication emphasizes the need for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and the full, unimpeded, and sustained access for humanitarian aid to reach people in Gaza. The EU civil servants suggest using all tools available, including the suspension of agreements such as the EU-Israel Association Agreement, to pressure Israel into compliance.
The letter also criticizes the EU's existing humanitarian strategy and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), accusing it of contributing to the deaths of around 1,000 people since May. It calls for forensic audits of past and current EU-funded research involving Israeli institutions and an investigation into the alleged pillaging of Gaza's maritime gas reserves by Israeli and EU member state interests.
Moreover, the letter supports EU civil servants who face pressures for expressing these concerns. It highlights an unexplained decision to ban an internal pro-Palestinian survey that had garnered responses from 1,514 colleagues in under 48 hours. The letter also speaks out against incidents where staff members were forcibly removed from the European Council's Europa canteen or compelled to delete video footage of protests.
The group urges trade unions and staff committees to support their initiative against intimidation, silencing, and professional reprisals regarding EU policy towards Israel. They suggest an immediate halt to all EU cooperation with Israeli entities under the NDICI-GE and Horizon Europe frameworks.
The letter also calls for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement at the next Foreign Affairs Council meeting and the recalling of the EU ambassador from Tel Aviv. It urges EU institutions to confront the EU's failure to stop Israel's siege of Gaza and to take a formal stance defending the rule of law, opposing retaliation against whistle-blowers, and exploring staff rights to strike or conscientiously object to assignments that might implicate them in policies they find ethically indefensible.
The presence of Israeli Colonel Moshe Tetro, a senior defense official accused of war crimes by the Brussels-based Hind Rajab Foundation, at the staff entrance of the European Commission headquarters on June 25, further fuels the call for action.
This letter resonates with other European voices condemning the ongoing humanitarian suffering in Gaza and obstructed aid delivery and demanding urgent, large-scale humanitarian assistance without restrictions. The EU civil servants' plea for decisive action serves as a powerful reminder of the urgent need for the EU to uphold its commitment to human rights and international law in the face of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
[1]: Reference to other European voices expressing similar concerns [2]: Reference to the Olof Skoog report [3]: Reference to other calls for humanitarian assistance [4]: Reference to incidents of intimidation and silencing of EU civil servants [5]: Reference to the internal pro-Palestinian survey ban and incidents of forcible removal and deletion of video footage
Read also:
- Court petitions to reverse established decision on same-sex marriage legalization
- Commemoration of 200 Days of American Resurgence Unveiled
- Minister Bärbel Bas expresses doubts about her tenure as a minister following a recent interview during the summer.
- A Tale of Two RussiansGate Notable Figures: Focus on Mike Davis
