European Parliamentarian: Sending weapons to Israel is complicity in the annihilation of Gaza

Belgian politician and European Parliamentarian Mark Bottinga criticized the Union’s position on Israel’s war on Gaza (social networking sites)

Member of the European Parliament, Belgian MP Marc Bottinga, criticized the European Union's position on Israel's war on Gaza, and called in an interview with Al Jazeera Net for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, a ban on arms exports to Israel, and more practical measures.

Speaking from Brussels via video call, Botenga said that sending weapons to Israel constitutes direct complicity in “genocide,” and points out that states are obligated under the “Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide” to do everything in their power to avoid the risk of genocide occurring. He warned that the European Parliament's failure to vote on a military embargo on Israel makes "active complicity very clear."

Botenga criticized what he called hypocrisy and double standards, considering that the European Parliament’s recent decision is not sufficient and practical measures must be taken to preserve peace and human rights. So, to the dialogue:

• Let us start from the development in the European position a few days ago, as the European Parliament approved a resolution “strongly condemning” Israel’s obstruction of humanitarian aid access to the Gaza Strip, and its forces attacking relief convoys. Do you think that was enough?

No, it is not enough. What the European Parliament voted on yesterday was essentially a repeat of what they voted on last month for the first time, which was to call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

This is important, of course.

No one disagrees with that.

But it is not enough because at the same time the majority of members of the European Parliament voted against imposing a military embargo on Israel or any other measures (let's call them practical measures) and we know very well that if there are no sanctions, if there are no practical measures then Israel does not comply.

So, in that sense, it is positive on the one hand that this resolution was passed, but there is great hypocrisy in the fact that they refuse to impose any measures or even vote on or call for practical measures.

• You have previously considered sending weapons to Israel to be direct complicity in “genocide.” Can you explain to us the reason for this opinion?

Well, it's a fairly self-explanatory argument: if the International Court of Justice says there is a reasonable risk of genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide then every state is obliged to do everything in its power to avoid the risk of genocide.

Now it's very clear: If you sent weapons to Israel today, those weapons would likely be used in its genocidal practices in Gaza.

So you know what's going on.

You know where these weapons go.

And you know what these weapons are being used for, and you see it on TV and you still decide to send these weapons, that is “active collusion.”

That's why I said what I said, and I might add that it's a very clear choice.

Of course, we will need more pressure on Israel than just an arms embargo or a mere military embargo.

But the military embargo makes complicity very clear.

If you don't have a military embargo, you say, well, you know, I don't mind using the weapons that I send (or that pass through European territory) in these genocidal practices.

• So, what steps do you think should be taken to address the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and in the Palestinian territories?

Well, again, the European Parliament resolution calls on Israel to open all border crossings, which is important, and its implementation will be important.

But of course, the first thing (should be done) is a ceasefire.

Let's be very clear, because what we're seeing, and what we've seen over the past few days where Israel has deliberately targeted aid distribution, it's not the first time, and we've seen humanitarian convoys being attacked and so on.

So this is of course the first thing (ceasefire).

The second thing is to open all crossings and allow humanitarian aid to enter.

We know that the airdrops carried out by some Western countries are not sufficient.

It's just a show, and we (in return) have all this humanitarian aid waiting to enter outside Gaza.

But again, none of that will happen and will not happen if there is no pressure on Israel.

We can talk as much as we want, and we will talk in a vacuum because Israel will not listen and will not comply if you do not apply pressure. We have seen this before.

As you know, Israel violates dozens of UN resolutions.

Why?

Because if there is no action, no pressure, and no sanctions attached to Israel, it simply will not care.

As long as they enjoy the protection of Western powers such as the United States and the European Union, Israel will continue.

• Have you faced any opposition or criticism locally because of your position or rhetoric on this issue?

naturally.

There are a number of parties, especially in the beginning, who say: You are defending Hamas, you are defending anything.

But I think it is very clear to people today that this is not a war against Hamas.

This is a war against children.

This is a war against everyone.

People, this is a war. You know that the majority of the victims are women and children.

This is a war that sees more than 12,000 children killed and humanitarian convoys attacked.

So, yes, there is of course propaganda from the other side trying to say if you support basic human rights for Palestinians and respect for international law, do you support terrorism?

But this is propaganda.

We should not fall into this trap, and again the ICJ has been very clear about this.

There is a risk of genocide, and the court says we see genocidal practices on our screens every day.

We see the numbers.

We see the statistics.

I think that many people now see what is happening through the lens of ensuring basic human rights and for Palestinians.

On the other hand, there is of course the propaganda that these numbers are fake.

You cannot trust these numbers, but at the time the news came out it appeared that even Israel was using these numbers provided by the Ministry of Health in Gaza, and we also saw an article in (The Lancet) - an internationally known scientific medical journal -, which said that it had no evidence. Real on inflation or there are exaggerated numbers.

So we've seen the US government use these numbers and use similar numbers.

But in all honesty and sincerity with you, I say: Most people in Europe see what is happening and oppose it.

That's why things change.

This is why the European Parliament votes on resolutions as it did.

This is why some governments take action because they feel pressure from people who stand in solidarity with Palestine.

• How can the European Parliament play a more active role in the current situation?

Well, the first issue is the most important. The double standards must be stopped.

It is really impressive how the European Parliament can condemn any country in the world so easily, and they can vote on resolutions regarding Russia, Iran, Cuba, Venezuela... condemnation after condemnation, but they do not condemn Israel even today.

Even the latest resolution does not state that the European Parliament condemns Israel.

How could this happen?

How could such double standards be possible?

There are more children killed in Gaza during the past months than were killed in 4 years in all other wars in the world.

However, the European Parliament and the European Union cannot clearly condemn Israel.

So, the first thing is to present things as they are.

Secondly, you have to say that there are structural reasons to say that what is happening is illegal colonization and illegal occupation, but saying this is not enough.

We need action.

We need to clarify that there are international agreements governing the occupation or even in the West Bank, as well as what is happening in East Jerusalem today.

Because we are talking about Gaza for obvious reasons.

But if you look at the situation that is happening now in the West Bank with all the villages being harassed, attacked, and depopulated in order to establish new colonies or to seize land, if you look at what is happening in East Jerusalem with the threatened Armenian neighborhood, the threatened Christian neighborhood, etc. , you can see that the “ethnic cleansing project” is happening all over Palestine.

The European Union (not just the European Parliament) should say to Israel that either you respect international law or our special partnership is over because there is a special partnership between the European Union and Israel called the Cooperation Agreement.

Here, an active role should be taken, such as suspending and canceling the partnership agreement.

The European Union has increased cooperation with Israel on a number of levels.

For example, in November, the European Commission proposed to support - and the Parliament finally agreed last week - a new gas project to connect the Israel-EU gas pipeline.

This is an escalation of commercial relations, and if you look at funding for research and development, it is similar. There was a decision in December to grant a joint project a large sum of money, and part of this project serves the Israeli aviation industries.

Therefore, the European Union's role should be an active one that favors justice and international law.

• What message would you like to send to other politicians and European leaders in this context?

I think it is very clear today that the European Union and many European countries have been exposed to the world because of their double standards.

And you can notice this and we have seen it before but it is much clearer now, no one in the world honestly believes that the European Union supports international law and human rights, because you cannot say that your foreign policy is based on international law and human rights, and then cooperate with what Israel is doing it now, and this is something that can be seen all over the world.

So, the credibility of the European Union at the international level is declining, and my message is very clear: stop your participation in war crimes.

Stop your participation at the potential risk of genocide, and I wonder, if you look at the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, who said she gave full support to Israel at the beginning of the war, perhaps this complicity should also be dealt with before the international court.

Source: Al Jazeera