On Wednesday 4 March, Lynn Boylan (The Left, Irish), Chair of the European Parliament delegation for relations with Palestine, Cecilia Strada (S&D, Italian), Barry Andrews (Renew Europe, Irish) and Ana Miranda Paz (Greens/EFA, Spanish) called on the presidents of the European Parliament’s political groups to allow more debates in the Parliament on the situation in the Middle East, recalling the latest measures taken by Israel, the continued extension of settlements and Israel’s failure to respect international humanitarian law in Gaza.
Speaking to the media, Lynn Boylan called on the President of the European Parliament and the political groups to ensure that there was a debate on the situation in the Middle East at next week’s plenary session. A request that had not been met during the Conference of Presidents later that day.
Cecilia Strada recalled that debates had been requested on numerous occasions, but had been blocked by right-wing and far-right political groups. “When the European Commission refuses to take action, the European Parliament must increase pressure on it. If we abdicate our role as guardians of the Commission, we are abandoning our mission as parliamentarians”, she added.
Ana Miranda Paz, for her part, said that the European Parliament often focused on subjects of no interest to its citizens, but while the Middle East is a matter of concern to Europeans, “we don’t talk about it”.
The last plenary session debate took place in December. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)