Israeli genocide reveals double standards of European leaders

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Israeli genocide reveals double standards of European leaders

Independent Australia
12 Mar 2025, 06:30 GMT+10

EU leaders who acted against the Russian invasion of Ukraine have been reluctant to put pressure on Israel for its genocide against Gaza, writesAnam Zahra.

SINCE OCTOBER 7 2023,Israel has killedover 17,712 children in Gaza among 44,758 civilians, but European Leadership is still supporting Israel by all means including politically, militarily and economically.

Why have European leaders simply ignored theConvention on the Rights of the Childby the United Nations for newborn babies and all the children of Gaza who got killed by Israeli bombardment? Where is the understanding of European leadership regarding basic humanity?

European leaders avoid using the termgenocideand conveniently replace it with Israel-Hamas War. When Israeli bombardment was killing children and women in Gaza, European leaders flocked to Tel Aviv, starting with German ChancellorOlaf Scholz, Italian Prime MinisterGiorgia Meloniand French PresidentEmmanuel Macron. In thewordsof Dutch Prime Minister,Mark Rutte, he reiterated that Israel has every right to defend itself.

On 22 January, the EU held a ministerial meeting, inviting Israels Foreign MinisterYisrael Katzand Palestinian Foreign MinisterRiyad al-Maliki.

Criticism of Israel and of genocide is not antisemitic

Accusations of antisemitism are continuing in an attempt to drown out the sights and sounds of the dying Palestinians.

The same European leaders who screamed and expressed their deep resentment towards Russias PresidentVladimir Putinover the Russia-Ukraine war are supporting Israeli PMBenjamin Netanyahu. And thats pure hypocrisy.

European Commission PresidentUrsula Von Der Leyen demandedthe establishment of the International Centre for the Prosecution of Crimes of Aggression against Ukraine. On the other side, she, along with President of the European ParliamentRoberta Metsola, visited the Kibbutz ofKfar Aza, Israel on 13 October 2023 to express their solidarity and commitment towards the Zionist regime.

It is safe to say that, for the EU Commission President, all lives matter except Palestinians. She even tweeted a photo of the European Commission building in Brussels which got lit up with an Israeli flag by quoting, Israel has the right to defend itself today and in the days to come. The European Union stands with Israel.

Europe has not only provided political support to Israel during the Gaza genocide but has equally provided material support by providing at least 25 per cent of spare parts to upkeep theF-35 fighter jetsused to bomb the civilians of Gaza. The Europeancountriesin the arms sale are Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland. The EU has also invested 126 million (AU$218.5 million) in the 130Horizon Europeresearch projects for Israeli participants.

The EU supports Israel with giant arms companies under the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) worth500 million (AU$866.8 million) and the European Defence Fund (EDF) worth8 billion (AU$13.8 billion).

Israels genocide in Gaza uncovered thedouble standardsof European leaders for whom Putin is a villain or foe, whereas Netanyahu is a hero or friend. European Council PresidentCharles Michelblamed Hamas for the entiredestruction of Gazabut gave a green signal to Israel for committing the genocide. German Foreign MinisterAnnalena BaerbockblamedYahya Sinwarforcausingimmeasurable suffering across an entire region but found no harm in Netanyahus killings of over 17,000 children in Gaza.

European leaders, in the unwavering support of Israel, deliberately ignored theintent of genocideby the Israeli officials to publicly call for the complete destruction of Gaza including killing newborn babies while using hunger as a weapon of war.

Yoav Gallant, Israels Defense Ministerstated:

According to a report by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Israel hasviolated International Humanitarian Lawby targeting ambulances, hospitals, doctors and medical teams, and killing civilians. Israel has also committed heinous crimes including sexual violence, torture, murder, forced displacement, cutting food and water supplies by using starvation as a weapon of war.

How the Israel lobby tries to silence criticism of Israel

Theres a long history of the Zionist lobby pressuring and bullying critics of Israel and theyre now upping tactics in a time of mass slaughter in Gaza.

UN Secretary-GeneralAntnio Guterresurged the European leaders toavoid hypocrisywhile carrying the same commitment towards International Law in Gaza as they keep for Ukraine. Guterres stated that the EU needs to focus on International Humanitarian Law both for Gaza and Ukraine.

Despite the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza and grave violations of International Law, the EU continues with theEU-Israel Association Council meetingand the business deals. It is extremely important to remember the two key points that on 26 January 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued aninterim rulingin the case under theConvention on the Prevention of Genocidebrought by South Africa.

The ICJ also ruled over the illegal Israeli occupation and called for its end within 12 months. The ICJ urged the UN member states to not support the occupying power (Israel). Later, on 22 November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuedarrest warrantsfor Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for committing war crimes.

Instead of following International Law, the EU responded even with more political and military support for Israel by defending its war crimes, occupation and severe breach of International Law. The same EU which operated for the sanctions against Russia decided not to act this time against Israel.

Anam Zahrais a Presidential Fellow for the International Foundation for Sustainable Peace and Development (IFSPD).