Over 200 employees from various European Union (EU) institutions and agencies have signed a letter expressing “growing concerns” about the EU’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The letter, which criticizes the silence over the ongoing situation, asserts that this lack of action conflicts with Europe’s fundamental values and its objective to promote peace.
Addressed to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament; and Charles Michel, President of the European Council, the letter, signed by 211 individuals in their personal capacities as citizens, condemns the attacks of October 7 in the “strongest terms,” as reported by the British newspaper The Guardian.
Referencing a January ruling by the International Court of Justice, which suggested a reasonable risk to Palestinians under the Genocide Convention, the letter warns that the EU’s continued indifference towards the plight of the Palestinians risks normalizing a global regime dominated by the absolute use of force, rather than a system based on rules that safeguard state security, territorial integrity, and political independence.
The signatories, including Zeno Benetti, one of the letter’s drafters, expressed disbelief that EU leaders, who often publicly advocate for human rights and describe Europe as a beacon of human rights, have remained silent on the crisis in Gaza.
“It feels like we are suddenly asked to turn a blind eye to our values and the principles we work for. This was not acceptable for us,” Benetti stated.
The letter quickly surpassed its initial goal of 100 signatures once news of its existence spread. The disclosed version of the letter does not include the names of the signatories, as the organizers promised to keep their identities confidential.
Highlighting the repeated calls by various NGOs for a ceasefire, the letter adds that the EU’s inability to respond to these increasingly desperate calls starkly contradicts the values represented by the EU and defended by its members.
It also urges the EU to formally call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, to demand the release of all detainees, and to ensure that member states halt both direct and indirect arms exports to Israel.
Benetti clarified that the initiative was not intended to be pro-Palestinian or to take a partisan stance on the conflict, but was signed because the signatories believe that what is happening threatens the principles of international law, which are held to be crucial and universally recognized.
This action follows weeks after more than 100 EU employees organized a march in Brussels to protest the Israeli war in Gaza, marking a growing discontent within the EU regarding its stance on the conflict.
