Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It was shocking to see the European Council express its full solidarity and support for Israel and its people and reaffirm its full commitment to its security and regional stability, despite the fact that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, despite the fact that Israel shows complete disregard for international law and despite the fact that UN experts have said that Israel is carrying out a targeted starvation campaign in Gaza. How can the European Council continue to support this brutal Zionist regime while it carries out the completion destruction of a state and its people? The people of Gaza must look in disgust at the European Union and its so-called values of peace, human rights and human dignity. They must feel completely abandoned by the European Union and the international community.

They are right; they have been abandoned. It is an absolute disgrace. The European Union and America have no right to lecture anyone on human rights while they continue to facilitate this genocide. The EU and US continue to provide weapons and diplomatic cover to Israel while it illegally occupies Palestine. Despite shocking levels of bloodshed, violence and devastation, the European Council in its most recent meeting expressed its support for Israel and then, to add insult to injury, proposed Ursula von der Leyen to the European Parliament as a candidate for the President of the European Commission. She is a woman who is complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people. When Israel initiated collective punishment against the people of Gaza and the Israeli defence minister stated, "I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed", von der Leyen flew straight to his and Netanyahu's side in Israel. She does not represent the EU and she most certainly does not represent the people of Ireland. However, she represents Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. Their decision to support her is despicable. I believe the Irish people will not forget such a deplorable action.

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