Amnesty International condemned the European Council‘s conclusions on the Middle East on Thursday, calling them a “shameful attempt” to justify Israel’s actions in Gaza while failing to explicitly condemn airstrikes and a blockade of humanitarian aid.
“After 17 months of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the fact that the EU refuses to name Israel, condemn airstrikes wiping out entire families, or denounce Israel’s blocking of vital humanitarian aid is extraordinary,” said Eve Geddie, the director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office.
She accused EU leaders of “selective compassion towards victims, particularly when they are Palestinian,” and called for immediate action to prevent complicity in “genocide, apartheid and unlawful occupation.”
“The EU leaders’ text is another shameful attempt to justify Israel’s genocide and war crimes against Palestinians. Instead of obfuscating the facts, EU leaders should take clear and decisive action to prevent potential complicity in Israel’s genocide in Gaza, apartheid and unlawful occupation,” Geddie said.
“For too long, the EU has been divided on how to respond to Israel’s genocide in Gaza, with some member states continuing to send weapons and ammunition to Israel in breach of their obligations to prevent genocide and ensure respect for the Geneva Conventions. This must end now,” she added.
The European Council’s conclusions acknowledged civilian casualties in Gaza but did not directly name Israel, instead expressing regret over the collapse of a ceasefire and calling for its full implementation.
The statement also urged the Palestinian group Hamas to release all remaining hostages and emphasized the need for unrestricted humanitarian aid.
On March 18, Israel resumed a large-scale bombing campaign in Gaza, having imposed a total blockade on aid, fuel and medicine since March 2.
The International Court of Justice has previously ruled that there is a “plausible risk of genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza.