Ireland

EU has ‘lost credibility’ with Gaza stance, Varadkar warns

Leo Varadkar said he would be pressing for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Leo Varadkar has said the EU is losing credibility over its stance on the Israel-Hamas war
Leo Varadkar has said the EU is losing credibility over its stance on the Israel-Hamas war (Niall Carson/PA)
By David Young, PA

The EU has lost credibility around the world over its failure to take a stronger position on the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip, Ireland’s premier has warned.

Leo Varadkar said he would be using this week’s meeting of the European Commission to press EU leaders to back a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

The bloc stopped short of calling for a ceasefire after a meeting in October.

“We’ll be pushing for strong wording on Gaza coming out of the summit,” said Mr Varadkar.

“Certainly stronger wording than was in place in October. I think the position of European countries has been evolving.

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“At the UN the other day, Ireland was in the majority of EU countries – 17 voting for a ceasefire, only two voting against – so I think the centre of gravity within the European Union is moving closer to the position that Ireland has taken for some time, but it still needs to move further in my view.

“What I’ll be saying to European leaders here is that I think the European Union has lost credibility because of our inability to take a stronger and more united position on Israel and Palestine.

“We’ve lost credibility with 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.

“And, secondly, I think there is a major issue with young people, and credibility that the European Union has among young people. We know how strongly that young people feel about climate, and they also feel really strongly about the issue of Israel and Palestine.

“And the majority of voters under-40 in the US, as well as the EU, now having more sympathy with Palestinians than with Israelis, that’s a significant change. And European leaders need to be wise to that.

“And that’s why I think we need to have strong wording that condemns terrorism perpetrated by Hamas, but also calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and calls for justice for Palestinian people, which is a two-state solution, which the European Union should be pushing and demanding, not just calling for.