A few hundred EU staff demonstrated on Thursday outside the European Commission’s headquarters in Brussels calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza.
A year has passed since Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October 2023. In the absence of a ceasefire-hostage deal, the Israeli-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip has dragged on without any end in sight, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis among the civilian population.
Staff called on the EU to stop the war, end the (Israeli) occupation and end the captivity – both of Israeli hostages taken by Hamas and convicted Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. The talks under the mediation of the US, Egypt and Qatar have failed to bring about a sustainable ceasefire leading to the end of the war and the release of the remaining 100 hostages (half of which are believed to be dead).
In previous open letters and petitions to the presidents of the European institutions, staff criticized the EU’s handling of the war in Gaza and claimed that it showed inaction on the humanitarian situation, contrary to the EU’s core values and its aim to promote peace.
The petitions put the European Commission in a dilemma. On the one hand, officials have “the right to freedom of expression, with due respect to the principles of loyalty and impartiality”. On the other, staff regulation requires an official to inform the Commission before any matter dealing with the work of the EU can be published.
By the end of August over 1,700 people had signed the petition. Their names have not been disclosed. The Commission has refused to meet the protestors and receive the petition.
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A Commission spokesperson told The Brussels Times that staff are required to request prior authorisation for a publication – including the publication of a petition – or an outside activity on any matter concerning the work of the EU. But simply signing a petition in a "private capacity" does not require prior authorization.
Following a request for clarification, the Commission added that staff must notably respect the principles of impartiality and loyalty to the Union (Article 11 in the staff regulation), refrain from any action or behavior, which might reflect adversely upon the dignity of their position (Article 12) and respect the principle of confidentiality (Article 17).
The Hamas attack was followed immediately by Hezbollah rocket strikes against Israel in solidarity with Hamas. The situation along the Israel-Lebanon border deteriorated recently with massive Israeli bombings against Hezbollah targets inside Lebanon and the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Iran attacked Israel on Tuesday evening with ballistic missiles.
Both Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and High Representative Josep Borrell condemned Iran’s attack in the strongest terms. Such actions threaten regional stability and escalate tensions in an already extremely volatile situation.
Von der Leyen urged all parties to protect the life of innocent civilians. “The EU continues to call for a ceasefire across the border with Lebanon, and in Gaza, and for the release of all hostages that are held since almost a year.”
Borrell reiterated the EU's commitment to the security of Israel: “Once again, a dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliations risks fueling an uncontrollable regional escalation which is in no one’s interest. The EU remains fully committed to lower the tensions and contribute to de-escalation to avoid a dangerous regional conflict."
