Humanitarian convoy: MEPs condemn Israeli commando operation

Israel's Tzahal commando operation against a humanitarian convoy was almost unanimously condemned by the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, in a debate in Brussels with the Israeli Ambassador and a Council representative. MEPs called for an impartial international inquiry into the operation and urged Israel to end the Gaza blockade. Some said the EU/Israel association agreement should be suspended.

Asked by Ignacio Salafranca (EPP, ES) about the number of EU citizens involved in the humanitarian operation, EU Political and Security Committee Chairman Carlos Fernandez Arias, said, on the EU High Representative's behalf, that he had “no specific figures to give”. He nonetheless noted that “about 50 people are currently detained” and that “the others are being repatriated”. The EU High Representative had requested consular access to the Israeli authorities, he added.

As to the consequences of this attack, Mr  Fernandez observed that “Middle East diplomacy will be more complicated, and regional tensions exacerbated, notably with Turkey. Egypt is also under pressure to open the Rafah border crossing”. He added that  “the blockade policy must cease” and suggested that “crossings could be opened under international control”.

“Israel must not commit acts of piracy to protect itself”, said María Muñiz De Urquiza (S&D, ES). For the Liberal group, Annelie Neyts (BE), argued that the Gaza blockade must be lifted “for political, as well as humanitarian, reasons”.

Israel's EU Ambassador Ran Kuriel, said that this was “not a peaceful humanitarian mission, but a provocation that became a tragedy”. He deplored the loss of human life, noting that the incident had left nine dead and fifty-five injured.

Mr Kuriel sought to show MEPs the violence with which some Israeli soldiers boarding the convoy ships had been met. They were “attacked by a crowd armed with iron bars and knives”, he said.

Development Committee Chair Eva Joly (Greens/EFA), responded heatedly to the video images presented, saying that “there is no guarantee as to the authenticity of the images shown to us, and this why there must be an international inquiry”.

“Meanwhile, the association agreement should be suspended, and the OECD accession process should be interupted until the inquiry outcome is known”, said Ms Joly, who was a member of the European Parliament delegation that visited Gaza last week. This view was echoed by her Spanish GUE/NGL colleague, Willy Meyer.

Speaking for the ECR Charles Tannock (UK) regretted the incident and deplored the loss of lives, but added that no more weapons should reach Gaza and fall into the hands of Hamas.