While chaos reigns between Israel and Gaza, since the Hamas attack this Saturday, October 7, a completely different form of panic has taken over the corridors of Brussels. In question, the declaration, on was”, launched the Hungarian Oliver Varhelyi before announcing that “all [European, Editor’s note] payments are immediately suspended”. Neither one nor two, Ireland, Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg immediately condemned the unilateral decision of the European Commissioner, warning against the interruption of aid to civilians.
Taken by surprise, the Commission immediately suspended Oliver Varhelyi’s decision by announcing “an urgent review of European Union assistance to Palestine” in order to ensure that no funding ends up in the pocket of the Hamas. But even if the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, may have claimed the unity of the 27 on the maintenance of aid, the fault line is very real. France and Italy have added their support for the continuation of aid to the Palestinian Territories, which is not the case for the Czech Republic or Austria, which spoke in favor of their suspension. Germany is still hesitant. As for Josep Borrell, he even said he was in favor of an intensification of aid: “The fact is that at present, the number of victims in Gaza is also increasing. 150,000 people are displaced and the humanitarian situation is disastrous. This is why we will have to provide more aid. No less, more,” concludes the man who is also vice-president of the Commission.
This article is originally published on frontpopulaire.fr
