EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness has said that the European Union speaks with one voice about the importance of humanitarian aid for Gaza while also being very clear in its condemnation of the Hamas attack on Israel.
It was important to stick to the rules of law and crucial that a way to talk about peace was found, she told RTÉ radio’s News at One.
It was also true to say that among EU member states there were different nuances about this issue, she added. “But I think that everyone stands on two basic principles.
"One is that what happened to Israeli families, and not only the death and destruction, but now the hostages that are in Gaza. And secondly, and that was appalling and nobody in their right mind would say other than that. But equally to Israel, that they, in response, in self-defence, have to abide by the humanitarian laws of war.
"And I think that lesson and that message was repeated in the European Parliament. It's been repeated by leaders right across the European Union and indeed by the president.”
Ms McGuinness said the EU realised that it needed to speak with one voice for human rights, for the Palestinians and families with no access to water and food.
While the visit of US president Joe Biden had an impact, the EU was equally committed to finding a peaceful solution.
“We need to find a way where peace can prevail in a region where sadly, we have so many decades of where peace has not prevailed.
“And I go back to the 7th of October, and we absolutely acknowledge the pain that was suffered by Israel and its families. But also we have to acknowledge that the families, the young children who cannot have access to water, who may not have access to medical care, who are being asked to move because Israel has so far delayed going into Gaza that their lives are at risk now. And our absolute objective as one Europe is to get humanitarian aid flowing.”
When asked about the comments by Ursula von der Leyen and subsequent criticism by President Michael D Higgins, Ms McGuinness said she had great respect for both presidents, neither of whom was reckless, nor thoughtless.
“I think that in this case, the president (von der Leyen) took a decision to go and to give solidarity with Israel. But equally, I think, clarified very strongly yesterday in her statement to the European Parliament that we have to make sure that humanitarian laws are abided by Israel as they go to defend themselves.
“And it is, I suppose, a small, again, welcome that there is no invasion.,” she added. But weapons were being fired into Gaza and people were being injured.
“The hospitals seem to be in a terrible state. So I think with one voice we can say that this situation in the Middle East, in this part of the world, has the risk of going from very bad to much worse unless we speak with one voice.
"So wherever there might have been some sense that that was not the case, I think now it's very clear. I think we are united in trying to help in this very, very difficult situation.”
