MEPs were divided on Wednesday 18 June over whether or not the situation in Gaza should be classified as genocide, during a debate called by The Left entitled ‘Stopping the Genocide in Gaza: Time for EU Sanctions’.
“Genocide, genocide, genocide”, repeated Manon Aubry (The Left, French), arguing that “the Israeli government is methodically and deliberately organising the genocide of the Palestinian people”.
While Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D, Spanish) denounced the “clearly genocidal statements made by certain ministers” of Israel, Hilde Vautmans (Renew Europe, Belgian) explained that “every day that Europe fails to act, we become more and more complicit in genocidal violence”. Similarly, for Tineke Strik (Greens/EFA, Dutch), “complicity is already a fact, but it is possible to put an end to this genocide, not by making declarations, but by taking action”.
Once again, representatives of several political groups called for the suspension of the Association Agreement between the EU and Israel, an arms embargo and economic, trade and individual sanctions.
However, according to Hildegard Bentele (EPP, German), while “no one denies the suffering”, this is not genocide, “one of the most unimaginable crimes”, which requires a “demonstrated will on the part of one group to exterminate another”.
According to Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal (PfE, Spanish), to say that there is genocide in Gaza “is a lie”, because the population of the enclave has increased “tenfold since 1950”. “The accusation of genocide against a people who have suffered real genocide is infamous and pure antisemitism”, he said.
Sebastian Tynkkynen (ECR, Finnish) and Marc Jongen (ESN, German) explained that only Hamas was committing genocide “against the Jews”.
Without taking a position on the term genocide, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas said that what was happening in Gaza “goes beyond the objective of self-defence” and that with every day that passes, “humanity moves further away”. Faced with criticism from MEPs and expressing her frustration, she pointed out that she represented 27 Member States and that, if it were just down to her, decisions would have been taken. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)