The European Union has decided to immediately suspend most aid to Palestine, not only to Gaza but also to the West Bank, a region under the control of the Palestinian Authority and where Hamas has no presence. The surprising and unprecedented decision, which is expected to spare humanitarian aid, was announced this afternoon on X by Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi. The move came just hours after Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said a full blockade of Gaza had been imposed. “I have ordered a complete siege of the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no water and no fuel, everything is blocked. We fight animals and act accordingly,” thundered Gallant.
Live coverage of the conflict between Hamas and Israel
“The level of terror and brutality against Israel and its people is at a tipping point. This cannot be ignored. As the Palestinians’ largest donor, the European Commission is reviewing the entire development of the aid portfolio with a total value of 691 million euros.” “All payments will be suspended immediately. All projects were placed under observation. All new budget proposals, including those for 2023, have been postponed until further notice,” Commissioner Varhelyi announced, he concluded. Over the weekend, the European Commission headquarters was lit up by the Israeli flag, and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tweeted several times about the EU’s unwavering support for Israel.
The extent of the terror and brutality against #Israel and its people are a turning point.
There can be no “business as usual”.
As the Palestinians’ largest donor, the European Commission is reviewing its entire development portfolio worth a total of EUR 691 million
⤵️— Oliver Varhelyi (@OliverVarhelyi) October 9, 2023
In the morning, EU High Representative Josep Borrell had announced the convening of an extraordinary EU Foreign Affairs Council tomorrow, and Commission spokesmen had said that the issue of aid to Palestine would be addressed at this meeting, but then the turning point came communicated via social media. The decision has already sparked controversy, with Ireland and Luxembourg questioning the Commission’s move and its legality. Still on “While we strongly condemn the Hamas terrorist attack, it is important to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law. The EU’s humanitarian aid to Palestinians in need will continue as long as necessary,” he wrote on the social network. However, exact information about how much money and which programs will be blocked is not yet available and the community board’s press release, which only arrived late in the evening, remains rather vague.
Although I condemn the terrorist attack in the strongest possible terms #HamasIt is essential to protect civilians and respect international humanitarian law.
EU humanitarian aid for #Palestinians in distress remain in place for as long as necessary.
— Janez Lenarčič (@JanezLenarcic) October 9, 2023
Brussels donated around 300 million euros to Palestinian units last year and pledged a total of 1.8 billion euros between 2021 and 2024. This money is used by the Palestinian Authority to pay the salaries of public employees and finance projects in the occupied territories, but also for social services, medical facilities and assistance to refugees through UNRWA, the United Nations agency, and through the support of some Non-governmental organizations.
As the Commission itself states, around 2.1 million of the 5.3 million Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank are in need of humanitarian assistance. In the Gaza Strip, the economy has largely stagnated due to the blockade imposed since 2007. More than 80% of the population is in need of assistance due to access restrictions and hostilities. The EU’s decision could have devastating consequences for the Palestinians, whose services depend almost entirely on foreign aid.
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