France and the European Union Are No Friends of Israel
by Alain Destexhe • November 1, 2023 at 5:00 am
At the recent European Summit in Brussels, the heads of state and government did not make the call for "humanitarian pauses" conditional on the release of the Israeli and foreign hostages held in Gaza by Hamas.
Thirty-five French citizens were murdered by Hamas on October 7, and nine others are being held hostage (among approximately 230 hostages), but France wants to provide aid to those who are holding them?
Unsurprisingly, according to reports, Hamas has been hoarding the food and medicine intended for the suffering people of Gaza... Cement for "rebuilding Gaza" has instead been diverted to building attack tunnels, and water pipes from the European Union are made into rockets. Hamas has also reportedly hoarded food, water, medicine and fuel, with the fuel being used in their rockets.
Central, however are the hostages. Their release will not be facilitated by a ceasefire or humanitarian corridors; quite the contrary. France and the European Union should have made their aid to Gaza conditional on the hostages' release, and stated that no "humanitarian" aid will be provided until Hamas releases them. Hamas has created this situation, not Israel.
Last week, with 120 votes in favor, 15 against and 45 abstentions, the United Nations General Assembly passed a shameful resolution calling for a ceasefire and humanitarian corridors in Gaza -- without condemning the crimes of Hamas. While four European countries voted against and fifteen abstained (including Germany), France approved a UN General Assembly resolution that makes not even mention of Hamas's crimes. At the recent European Summit in Brussels, the heads of state and government did not make the call for "humanitarian pauses" conditional on the release of the Israeli and foreign hostages held in Gaza by Hamas.
