Seven Irish representatives at the EPP congress declining to advocate for the discharge of Hamas captives.
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Title: Seven Irish Delegates Refuse to Condemn Hamas Attacks, Demanding a Broader Approach
Tags: Politics, Conflict, Middle East, Ireland, Israel, Hamas
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At the Valencia congress of the European People's Party (EPP) this week, a motion condemning Hamas' October 2023 attacks in Israel and calling for the release of hostages taken during the incident was one of several emergency motions discussed. However, seven delegates, all from Ireland's Fine Gael party, refused to support the resolution.
The resolution, tabled by Sweden's Christian Democrats and Austria's People's Party, strongly condemned the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks committed by Hamas against Israel, with a call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages and the return of the dead hostages' bodies. Despite the resolution receiving general approval, the Fine Gael delegates abstained.
The Fine Gael party insisted on abstaining due to what it perceived as the resolution's narrow focus on Hamas without addressing the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip or the broader peace-building framework. The party argued that the resolution posed insufficient attention to the ongoing suffering of the people in Gaza, disregarding the need for a political solution, and failing to propose long-term measures to resolve the conflict or advance a two-state solution.
The party's stance emphasized the need for balanced condemnation and tangible steps toward a lasting resolution rather than unilateral condemnation of Hamas. Furthermore, Fine Gael advocated for diplomatic engagement and measures aimed at building long-term peace in the region, arguing that the resolution neglects the root causes of the conflict and does not provide a comprehensive roadmap for resolution.
During the congress, Fine Gael's Mairead McGuinness, a former European Commissioner for Financial Services and MEP, was elected as an EPP vice president. Regarding the controversy surrounding the resolution, the EPP leadership declined to comment on individual delegate votes.
It's worth noting that a separate motion on solidarity with Ukraine was also passed, with one delegate voting against it and 28 abstaining. Fine Gael has not released any statements regarding this motion.
Stay tuned for updates.
Sources:1. EPP congress: Fine Gael's abstention over Hamas motion explained2. Fine Gael abstains from EPP resolution on Israel-Hamas conflict
- Despite the European People's Party (EPP) resolving to condemn Hamas' October 2023 attacks in Israel, seven Irish delegates from the Fine Gael party abstained, agreeing with the argument that the resolution lacked focus on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and a broader peace-building framework.
- The Fine Gael party's abstention from the EPP's resolution on the Israel-Hamas conflict was largely due to their advocacy for accessibility and attention to long-term measures in peace-building policy and legislation, which they believed the resolution fell short of.
- In the context of the ongoing war-and-conflicts in the Middle East, the Fine Gael party's stance on the Israel-Hamas conflict represents a call for diplomatic engagement, as they argue that a comprehensive roadmap for resolution must address the root causes of the conflict and promote balance in condemnation.
- In line with the party's policy on general news, the Fine Gael party remained silent on their vote against a motion on solidarity with Ukraine, which received criticism from some delegates during the same EPP congress.
