EU called upon to take decisive actions against Israel by Ireland

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. This action comes amidst a brutal offensive by Israel on the Gaza Strip, causing over 63,000 Palestinian casualties since Hamas' October 2023 assault in Israel.

Ireland's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Simon Harris, has warned that the European Union (EU) risks losing credibility if it fails to take concrete measures against Israel. Harris made these remarks ahead of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Copenhagen, where he emphasized the urgency of the situation.

Harris described the situation in Gaza as "appalling", with people desperately seeking food and facing famine conditions, further exacerbated by ongoing military operations. He called for an immediate ceasefire, the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas, including the remains, and unimpeded humanitarian access at scale.

The EU, however, has yet to announce any concrete joint measures against Israel. Despite discussions outlining "10 potential measures", no such announcements were made at the informal EU foreign ministers' conference in Copenhagen on February 15, 2023.

Harris urged for the need to "maximize pressure" to bring about a ceasefire and to end the famine in Gaza. He suggested that like-minded EU member states may consider joint action if the EU cannot agree on a collective position regarding Israel's actions in Gaza. Harris emphasized that it is "crucially important" for the EU to act now and take immediate and concrete measures in response to Israel's actions, which are in breach of its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

Israel is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its war on Gaza. Harris's calls for action come as a plea for the EU to uphold its commitment to human rights and international law.