“Humanitarian pauses” in the war between Hamas and Israel to show the world only apparent unity. After long and difficult negotiations, the 27 EU heads of state and government manage to reach an agreement in the Cesarini area that will allow Brussels not to collapse completely on the Middle East issue. In the end, the terminology of “humanitarian pauses” prevails, supported and introduced in particular by Italy and Germany to avoid any risk of interpretation: it is not a ceasefire. A ceasefire that the Spaniard Pedro Sanchez had called for with some persistence and which was supported by Ireland. There was also a large group of countries calling for a “pause,” particularly on humanitarian grounds. Both options ultimately fell through. But the Iberian Prime Minister, under pressure from Sumar’s left, received the leaders’ “support” for the medium-term holding of an international peace conference at a crucial moment for the formation of the government. While reaffirming their position alongside Israel, the Twenty-Seven still declare their commitment to working to defeat Hamas, prevent escalation and pave the way for a two-state solution. To achieve this, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggested, it would be necessary to “give concreteness to the Palestinian question” and “give greater weight to the PNA”. The heads of state and government sit at the table and start talking about Ukraine. But straight after that we come to the Middle East dossier.
Video Meloni: “Hamas has nothing to do with the Palestinian cause”
The latest draft on the table calls for “humanitarian pauses” for Gaza. The agreement appears to be close to completion. But the clash fueled by Madrid flares up again. Sanchez, who heads the EU’s rotating presidency, has called for going further and suggested an immediate ceasefire. A red line that revives the “different sensibilities” among the twenty-seven and risks blowing up the entire table. Ireland is also pushing for stronger wording in the final text that comes as close as possible to the ceasefire demand. On the other hand, however, Germany’s position is firm and is also supported by Austria and Italy. The views suddenly seem incompatible and also become an aid to those who raise doubts about the credibility of the EU at a moment that the President of the European Council Charles Michel has defined as “decisive from a geopolitical point of view” in order to achieve “unity “Called to find and show “the strength” of the continent “in its relations with the global south”. In the end, the 27 states found a spark of unity in the face of the impending standoff, which several countries said would have been “a diplomatic disaster.” Sanchez takes a step back on the ceasefire. However, in the text, the 27 declare that they are ready to “contribute to the revitalization of the political process based on the “two-state solution” and to support “the establishment of an international peace conference to be held soon”. The tensions in Brussels also extend beyond the walls of the Europe building. On the eve of the summit, a Palestinian journalist seeking refuge in Belgium told colleagues he wanted to set himself on fire to protest Europe’s silence on the Gaza Strip. The man was then reached by the diplomatic services, who dissuaded him from the gesture. Meanwhile, on the eve of the European Council, hundreds are demanding something that remains taboo for Europe for now: “an immediate ceasefire.”
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