Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) asked EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas to “produce a comprehensive EU strategy for the region and to increase Europe’s presence there,” in a statement on Wednesday.
The MEPs called for “lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians,” adding that they “welcome the prospect of a return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza and express support to the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the two-State Solution.”
The Global Alliance for the Implementation of the two-State Solution was set up by over 90 states in September 2024, aiming “to work towards the implementation of the Two-State Solution, also by supporting the current diplomatic efforts to reach a permanent cease-fire in Gaza and the release of hostages and detainees, address the humanitarian suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza, and advance an irreversible path of joint efforts and concrete measures in support of enabling and implementing the Two-State Solution with a clear timeline.”
David McAllister, a German MEP from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, stated “We underscore the importance of a determined, disciplined and assertive EU foreign policy to address geopolitical challenges such as the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the conflicts in the Middle East, and growing geopolitical competition.”
McAllister is also Chair of the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee and Vice President of the European People’s Party, a coalition of centrist, and centrist-right parties in the EU.
Kallas addresses the European Parliament
Kallas addressed the European Parliament on Tuesday, discussing her visit to the Middle East.
She comments that it came “at a particularly volatile time” as the ceasefire in Gaza has broken days days before.
However, she affirmed that “through this visit, I wanted to send a clear sign of the European Union’s commitment to de-escalation and support for an immediate ceasefire,” adding “My message was clear: in a new war, both sides lose.”
Kallas also repeated the EU’s “priorities for Gaza,” namely, “the release of all hostages; an immediate return to the ceasefire; and the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries at scale into the Gaza Strip.”
She reported how she met with Egypt’s foreign minister, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and opposition leader Yair Lapid, as well as meeting hostage families, and visiting Yad Vashem.
She also met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, as well as the heads of the EU Border Assistance (EUBAM) mission in Rafah and the EU Police Mission.
Kallas stated that resuming negotiations on a ceasefire “is the most viable way to find a way forward and get the hostages out,” adding “It is clear that violence only feeds more violence.”
“The European Union has repeatedly stated that there must be no role for Hamas in Gaza’s governance,” she remarked, adding that “The popular protests ongoing in Gaza are an important development. Gazans are making their voices heard to try to shape a better future.”
Kallas noted that the EU is the largest donor of aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The EU, according to Kallas, plays its part “to try to ease the difficult situation” in the Gaza Strip and West Bank in three ways:
Firstly through humanitarian aid, with the European Commission announcing an “initial funding” of 120 million Euros for Gaza in 2025, reaching a total of over 450 million Euros since 2023, Kallas announced.
Secondly, by activating the EUBAM Rafah mission to help “more than 4,000 people to cross the border, including more than 1,600 requiring medical attention, during the temporary ceasefire.”
Thirdly, by seeking stability in the West Bank, and providing “support to the Palestinian Authority linked with reforms.”
In her closing remarks, Kallas commented how the European Union supports the International Criminal Court and affirmed that members of the Rome Statute, the ICC’s founding charter, should follow their obligations.
This followed a statement that she shook only one Israeli minister’s hand, namely Gideon Sa’ar. Kallas notably did not meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is under an ICC arrest warrant.
Her closing remarks discussed how the EU is supporting the PA as the best option to govern the Gaza Strip, and that “It is a question of security of Israel, as well as the rights of Palestinians, that need to be respected.”
In order to achieve this, the EU will need to “engage with our Arab partners,” she added.
Meanwhile, the MEPs also requested Kallas to “speed up support for Ukraine, to put it in a position of strength and deter any further aggression by Russia following a potential ceasefire agreement.”
A majority of MEPs, at 399, voted in favor of adopting the Common Security and Defence Policy, which expressed ” deep concern about the apparent shift in the United States’ stance on Russia’s war of aggression.” 198 MEPs voted against, and 71 abstained.
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