S&D leader Iratxe García will take the floor today during the plenary session in Strasbourg to address the situation in the Middle East – specifically on the state of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the military escalation between Israel and Iran. García will call for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in response to the cruelty and abuse by the Netanyahu government. She will also denounce the destruction in Gaza and will speak out for the people of Israel who are outraged at the extermination of Gaza. García condemns the dangerous escalation between Israel and Iran and urges EU diplomacy to intervene to stop the spiral of attacks, resume nuclear talks, and avoid a devastating regional conflict.
Iratxe García, S&D Group leader, said:
“More than 55,000 civilians killed, 94% of hospitals destroyed, and 80% of Gaza’s territory devasted. And those who manage to survive do so in overcrowded conditions – with no water, medicines, or food. What else needs to happen to recognize that the Netanyahu government systematically violates Article 2 of the Association Agreement with the European Union?
“We call for the immediate suspension of the entire agreement, political and commercial. This is a matter of consistency with our own values, and those of humanity. How long will President von der Leyen continue to look the other way in the face of a government that has turned the violation of international law into doctrine?
“Let’s put an end to the paralysis and double standards. It is necessary to prohibit the supply of weapons to Israel, freeze the assets of those responsible in the political, military, and business spheres who support the illegal occupation, and ensure that member states comply with the decisions of the International Criminal Court.
“I want to make clear that the people of Israel are not Netanyahu’s genocidal government. While thousands of citizens are clamouring for the release of hostages and an end to the extermination, Netanyahu continues to hijack national politics. What greater betrayal could there be to the people of Israel than to have funded Hamas with $30 million a month since 2018?
“We call for the recognition of the Palestinian state. The two-state solution is not an empty slogan, it is the only realistic way to guarantee Israel's security and Palestine's dignity.
“Faced with the dangerous escalation between Israel and Iran, the European Union cannot simply look on from the sidelines. Our diplomacy must act urgently to halt the spiral of attacks, resume nuclear talks, and avoid a devastating regional conflict.”
