Iratxe García, MEP and chair of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, criticised the EU’s inaction regarding Gaza on Tuesday at the Fórum Europa in Brussels and once again called for the suspension of the Association Agreement with Israel.
García made these remarks at this briefing organised by Nueva Economía Fórum in the EU capital, where she criticised the EU’s lack of action in the face of the conflict in Gaza and denounced the “impunity” with which the Israeli government is acting.
The Socialist politician once again called for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the imposition of sanctions and an arms embargo because, in her view, there is a “double standard” compared with the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “How is it possible that Europe has adopted 21 rounds of sanctions against Putin and yet has taken no action against Netanyahu?”, she asked. “Impunity can never be a political option,” she asserted.
García argued that the European institutions must also send a clear message regarding this conflict in order to safeguard public confidence. We cannot apply “double standards”, she reiterated, adding that “Europe must also put the confiscation of Russian assets back on the table” and must not forget the war in Ukraine either.
“Putin, and not European taxpayers, should pay for the destruction he has caused,” she said, adding that “this whole crisis boils down to one central question: Can Europe decide its own future?” In her view, the United States can no longer be regarded as a predictable ally. “Russia is carrying out hybrid attacks against our democracies and we remain too dependent on foreign technology,” she insisted, which is why she advocated for the EU to invest more in defence.
“We need a common European defence, joint procurement and a stronger European defence industry,” she argued. However, she added that “European independence cannot be limited to weapons”. It must also mean energy, economic and technological independence, as well as social strength. The Socialist leader insisted that the EU cannot outsource its security to Washington nor leave its digital future in the hands of large companies based outside Europe.
"We need a digital fairness law to protect children and their mental health from addictive designs and algorithms. And we must develop our own digital capabilities, from platforms to the cloud, so that our technology serves people, not just financial gain", said García.
The MEP called for the continued defence of the European Union’s social model. “Europe will not be strong if millions of Europeans cannot afford a home, cannot find a good job or cannot see a future for their children. That is why the European Pillar of Social Rights must remain at the heart of our project,” she concluded.
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