The United Nations General Assembly adopted on Tuesday a non-binding resolution on the Israel-Hamas war which might affect the EU position and the European Council which starts in Brussels today.
The resolution, passed with a large majority of 153 in favour, 10 against and 23 abstentions, calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages as well as ensuring humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip. Amendments making reference to the Hamas terrorist organisation were voted down.
The EU Member States are divided, with a majority voting for the resolution – more than in a previous vote. Two Member States voted against (Czech Republic and Austria) and eight Member States abstained (Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, The Netherlands, Romania and Slovakia). The United Kingdom and Ukraine also abstained.
“This resolution falls short in many ways, including the right of Israel to ensure its citizens are safe and naming the terrorist group in taking of hostages,” commented Austria’s ambassador.
Sweden, which in a previous vote had abstained, voted this time for the resolution. Asked in advance about the vote, Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström replied that Sweden would not vote for a ceasefire because it would mean that Israel cannot fight Hamas. The new resolution does not call for a permanent ceasefire and focuses on a humanitarian ceasefire to protect and aid the civilian population.
Belgium also voted for the UN resolution and has been vocal in demanding an immediate ceasefire together with Spain and Ireland. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said ahead of the European Council summit that a ceasefire needs to have two objectives: providing lasting humanitarian access to people in need and enabling the release of the Israeli hostages.
Too many innocent civilians have been killed and a ceasefire now is the only way to ensure these two objectives, he stated. In a brief interview with The Brussels Times, he added that the war is leading to more radicalisation and indicated that there are different opinions in his government.
He declined to comment on whether peace can be secured without the defeat of Hamas. This was one of the key points addressed in a speech by Josep Borrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, at the European Parliament on Tuesday.
Borrell referred to the UN vote, where the draft resolution had been presented by the United Arab Emirates with the support of some EU countries, including his home country Spain which is currently holding the EU Presidency. He claimed that the level of destruction in Gaza is unprecedented in history and compared it to what happened to German cities in WWII.
No answers to dilemmas
Borrell condemned Hamas’ atrocities and said that it must be removed from power to allow for a peace process based on the two-state solution. However, he questioned whether this can be achieved through the intense military campaign being waged at the moment: "There has to be some other way to fight Hamas. Morally, there must be some alternative other than the death of so many innocent people, including so many children.”
The High Representative is doing his best to represent the EU’s common positions when they exist. “When there aren’t any, I try to help build them. Therefore, I’m often asked questions that I cannot answer." He says that Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas but believes that “eradicating Hamas by bombing and destroying Gaza will not be a solution”.
Israel maintains that it is targeting Hamas and insists that the EU-designated terrorist organisation is responsible for the destruction and the high civilian death toll in Gaza. It claims that Hamas is hiding in tunnels beneath civilian buildings, storing weapons in civilian facilities, fighting from civilian buildings and is using the population as human shields.
Despite the massive bombings carried out by Israeli forces in Gaza, Israel says that Hamas is still capable of inflicting Israeli casualties and refuses to surrender to save itself and avoid casualties among the civilian population.
In his speech and previous remarks at the Foreign Affairs Council meeting on Monday, Borrell might have given the impression that there is no common EU position any longer. However, the EU’s lead spokesperson on foreign affairs Peter Stano told The Brussels Times that this is not the case: "The vote in the UN does not contradict EU’s common position from October and doesn’t revoke our ongoing condemnation of Hamas for its terrorist attacks and the holding of refugees. EU has agreed on the need for a post-conflict solution.”
“This position is still valid but the vote shows the direction towards the EU is moving regarding the rising human cost of the war and the extent of the destruction in Gaza. The EU will have to take this into account.” The High Representative raised some important questions in his speech but admitted that he has no answers to them since they must be provided in consensus by all EU Member States.
Position paper on 'day after'
The European External Action Service (EEAS) has drafted a position or options paper on the stabilisation of Gaza for the “day after”. According to Borrell, the paper was very well received by the foreign ministers. His spokesperson explained that the confidential paper has already been finalized and should be seen as an input with suggestion for discussions in the Foreign Affairs Council.
“It will not be discussed at the European Council this week as this was never the aim. The European leaders are expected to focus on the need for a cease fire and the disastrous humanitarian situation in Gaza,” the spokesperson added.
The Foreign Affairs Council also discussed continued action against Hamas, including through restrictive measures, and work towards imposing restrictive measures against extremist settlers in the West Bank, following the example of the United States. Belgium is in favour of an entry ban to its territory against convicted settlers. Borrell himself noted that settlers have been convicted for terrorism in the past.
“It might take time to reach consensus on the issue of an entry ban on extremist settlers,” Peter Stano said. “Common consolidated measures are always better but some Member States will probably decide on their own measures if the EU common position on this will not be reached fast enough.”
As regards financial sanctions, Hamas is already subject to such sanctions since it was listed on EU’s terrorist list, he explained. The accounts of Hamas members have automatically been frozen. EU is already working in the framework of the international Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
“The issue of new sanctions against certain countries that are financing Hamas is not on the table yet but work is ongoing on preparing additional EU sanctions on Hamas.”
M. Apelblat
The Brussels Times
