The continuing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip remained at the heart of the concerns of the 27 European foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday 23 June, despite the recent offensives against Iran by the Israeli and American governments.
“None of this makes us forget the situation in Gaza”, stressed the French minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, reiterating the European Union’s call for “immediate and unimpeded” access for humanitarian aid to Gaza.
“Our first goal is to change the situation on the ground, to ensure that humanitarian aid gets in and helps people”, stressed the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, referring to the violation of Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement (see other news), at a press conference.
Several European ministers have once again condemned the blocking of aid to the Palestinian enclave.
“[Belgium urges] that we do not lose sight of the humanitarian emergency, which requires action on both sides of the European continent to prevent this scandalous famine and ensure that food, water and healthcare can be provided quickly to the Palestinian population”, warned Belgian minister Maxime Prévot. “This humanitarian blockade [...] has gone on far too long”, he insisted.
For his Spanish counterpart, José Manuel Albares, “the time for words and declarations is behind us”. “The people of Gaza need action”, he said, calling for decisive action by the EU vis-à-vis Israel.
On Monday, European foreign ministers did not deny indications that the Israeli government was violating its human rights obligations under the EU/Israel Association Agreement (see EUROPE 13665/3). But they have not made any decisions at this stage.
The EU is providing a further €202 million. On Monday, the European Commission announced new financial support of €202 million for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Palestinian Authority, as part of the ‘Comprehensive Multi-Annual Programme for Palestinian Recovery and Resilience’.
Of this, €150 million have been allocated to the Palestinian Authority to finance public services, in particular the salaries of teachers, health workers and civil servants, the Commission said in a press release.
UNRWA has received a contribution of €52 million to support the provision of essential services such as education, primary healthcare and humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and host countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. (Original version in French by Bernard Denuit)