On Sunday, the prime ministers of Spain, Belgium, Ireland and Malta called on European Union Council President Charles Michel to take a clear position on the situation in Gaza, including jointly calling for a permanent ceasefire on humanitarian grounds that would end the conflict.
Sources in the Spanish Prime Minister’s office told media outlets that the prime ministers of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, Belgium, Alexander De Croo, Ireland, Leo Varadkar, and Malta, Robert Albella, sent a joint letter to the leaders of the European Council and its president, Charles Michel.
In their letter, the prime ministers of the four countries called on Michel to include a discussion session on determining a clear position on the situation in Gaza and the two-state solution on the agenda of the European Union Council summit, scheduled for December 14 and 15 in the Belgian capital, Brussels, the headquarters of the European Union.
The Spanish sources explained that the letter was signed by the heads of the four countries during a period that witnesses Spain completing its presidency of the current session of the European Union, and delivering it to Belgium at the end of this December.
According to the same sources, the message was influenced by the launch by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of an initiative to find an urgent solution to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
The letter from the leaders of the four countries also said that in order to “prevent the spread of violence to the West Bank,” the assets of “violent Israeli settlers” who attack Palestinian communities must be frozen.
In their letter, the four prime ministers condemned the attacks launched by the Islamic Resistance Movement “Hamas” on October 7, describing them as “terrorist,” reaffirming “Israel’s right to defend itself under international law.”
The leaders of the four countries believed that the European Union must take a joint decision to ensure a permanent ceasefire, protect civilians in Gaza, and deliver humanitarian aid without obstacles, according to Reuters.
Last Friday, the UN Security Council failed for the second time to pass a draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, after the United States used its veto power, despite the warning of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, that there is no effective protection for civilians in Gaza, and there is no place Safe in the sector.
For the first time in decades, Guterres announced last Wednesday the activation of Article 99 of the United Nations Charter, describing the situation in the Gaza Strip and Israel as a “threat to international peace and security.”
The article stipulates that “the Secretary-General may alert the Security Council to any matter that he deems may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.”
Since last October 7, the Israeli army has been waging a devastating war on the Gaza Strip, separating the northern Strip from the center and south, leaving 17,997 martyrs and 49,229 injured, most of them children and women, massive destruction of infrastructure, and a “humanitarian catastrophe.” “Unprecedented,” according to official Palestinian and UN sources.
