European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the German public broadcaster ZDF on Sunday that Israel needs to make more efforts to alleviate the severe hardship experienced by the residents of the Gaza Strip.
In her interview on the evening news program, she stated, “Israel is only fulfilling its duty to care for the people to a limited extent and must do more to protect civilian lives.” She added, “Given the situation in Gaza, the maritime aid corridor that the European Union plans to implement from Cyprus to Gaza is very necessary because we are currently facing a humanitarian disaster.” She noted that there was an agreement with Israel on the maritime operation.
Von der Leyen clarified, “The crucial factor is that the Israelis can inspect the goods on the Cypriot side, conduct security checks, and then the ship can head to Gaza.” In response to a question about more aid arriving by land, von der Leyen said, “This matter is being discussed intensively with Israel,” and added, “Everyone is invited to help.”
The European Union (EU) is facing criticism and attempting to unify its stance regarding the recent war in Gaza. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, highlighted growing animosity towards the EU, particularly from the Muslim world, due to perceptions of a pro-Israel bias and double standards in the conflict. Borrell emphasized the need for the EU to show more empathy for the loss of Palestinian civilian lives and called for a renewed effort towards establishing a Palestinian state.
Amid these challenges, the EU has been working to solidify its position on the Israel-Gaza conflict. An extraordinary meeting of 27 heads of state was convened to address criticisms aimed at European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for perceived bias towards Israel. The meeting aimed to clarify the EU’s collective stance and ensure that it reflects the positions of its member states. Despite the EU’s unanimous calls for humanitarian pauses to deliver aid to Palestinians in Gaza and a significant increase in humanitarian aid, calls for an immediate end to Israel’s bombardment, which has resulted in significant Palestinian casualties, have intensified.
