Current:Home > MarketsIreland’s prime minister urges EU leaders to call for Gaza cease-fire at their summit-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
Ireland’s prime minister urges EU leaders to call for Gaza cease-fire at their summit
View Date:2024-12-23 16:33:43
BRUSSELS (AP) — Ireland’s prime minister Leo Varadkar said on Thursday that the European Union is losing its credibility because of a lack of a strong position in the war between Israel and Hamas, urging his counterparts to call for a humanitarian cease-fire.
Speaking at the start of a EU summit in Brussels focusing more on Ukraine, Varadkar said the EU should condemn “terrorism perpetrated by Hamas,” but also call for justice for the Palestinian people.
The 27 EU countries have long been divided in their approach to Israel and the Palestinians. At their previous meeting in October, EU leaders called “for continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need through all necessary measures, including humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs.”
Varadkar said he hopes they will achieve “stronger wording” this time.
“I think the European Union has lost credibility because of our inability to take a stronger and more united position on Israel and Palestine,” Varadkar said. “We’ve lost credibility at the global South, which actually is most of the world, because what is perceived to be double standards. And there’s some truth in that, quite frankly.”
Before the summit, Varadkar and the prime ministers of Spain, Belgium, and Malta wrote to European Council President Charles Michel asking him to host a “serious debate” about the Israel-Hamas war and the “humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.”
Israel has drawn international outrage and rare criticism from the United States over the killing of civilians. More than 18,400 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says 113 of its soldiers have died in the Gaza ground offensive it launched after Hamas raided southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking about 240 hostages.
“We must call urgently for all the parties to declare a lasting humanitarian cease-fire that can lead to an end of hostilities,” the four leaders wrote.
Varadkar insisted that 17 out of 27 EU countries are now in favor of a cease-fire that would lead “to a new peace process and Palestinian statehood, which is the only way to secure justice and security for everyone living in the region.”
Despite its limited political leverage, the 27-nation bloc is the world’s top aid supplier to the Palestinians. The EU has little influence over Israel — the United States is its staunchest ally – but remains the country’s biggest trade partner.
The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, repeated the need for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.
“The Arab countries have already said that they will not participate in rebuilding Gaza unless there is a strong commitment from the international community to build a two-state solution,” Borrell said. “We have to focus on a political solution to the problem once and for all.”
___
Find more of AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
veryGood! (5334)
Related
- Surprise bids revive hope for offshore wind in Gulf of Mexico after feds cancel lease sale
- Is beer sold at college football games? Here's where you can buy it during the 2023 season
- AP Week in Pictures: North America
- Capitol physician says McConnell medically clear to continue with schedule after second freezing episode
- 2 dead in explosion at Kentucky factory that also damaged surrounding neighborhood
- New York City is embracing teletherapy for teens. It may not be the best approach
- UEFA Champions League draw: Group stage set for 2023-24 tournament
- ESPN goes dark for Spectrum cable subscribers amid Disney-Charter Communications dispute
- Jessica Simpson's Husband Eric Johnson Steps Out Ringless Amid Split Speculation
- Union sues over changes in teacher evaluations prompted by Texas takeover of Houston school district
Ranking
- Rafael dissolves into a low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico after hitting Cuba as a hurricane
- A million readers, two shoe companies and Shaq: How teen finally got shoes for size 23 feet
- Nebraska volleyball filled a football stadium. These Big Ten programs should try it next
- Prosecutor asks Indiana State Police to investigate dog deaths in uncooled rear of truck
- Northern Taurid meteor shower hits peak activity this week: When and where to watch
- Emergency services leave South Africa fire scene. Now comes the grisly task of identifying bodies
- ACLU sues Tennessee district attorney who promises to enforce the state’s new anti-drag show ban
- Billy Ray Cyrus and Fiancée Firerose Share Insight Into Their Beautiful Whirlwind Romance
Recommendation
-
The 10 Best Cashmere Sweaters and Tops That Feel Luxuriously Soft and Are *Most Importantly* Affordable
-
Lionel Messi will miss one Inter Miami game in September for 2026 World Cup qualifying
-
A drought, a jam, a canal — Panama!
-
The pause is over. As student loan payments resume, how to make sure you're prepared
-
Report: Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence could miss rest of season with shoulder injury
-
Utah Influencer Ruby Franke Arrested on Child Abuse Charges
-
Appeals court agrees that a former Tennessee death row inmate can be eligible for parole in 4 years
-
Greece is battling Europe's largest wildfire ever recorded, and it's still out of control