Fianna Fáil MEP for Dublin Barry Andrews has welcomed the ceasefire agreed between Israel and Hamas but has cautioned that now is the time to increase diplomatic pressure on both sides.
“Firstly, I am extremely grateful that the suffering of innocent Palestinians will now stop and I welcome the return of hostages and detainees on both sides. The past 15 months have seen some of the most brutal and horrific attacks on civilians in living memory, so I am relieved that there will be an end to the bloodshed,” he said.
“However, now is not the time to avert our gaze and pat ourselves on the back. The EU must push for an immediate increase of humanitarian aid into Gaza, led by UNRWA and other INGOs. Next, we must see both sides remain at the negotiating table to ensure a lasting and sustainable peace.”
Andrews, who serves as the Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation to Palestine, cited other examples of breakdowns in post-conflict reconstruction, and he said that a concerted effort was now needed “to provide Palestinians with hope for the future.”
“If we want this destructive cycle of violence between Palestinians and Israelis to end, we need justice, we need development and we need to provide a credible future for Palestinians and a Palestinian state. The focus must be on the long term to ensure stability, learning from the experiences of Libya and Sudan, where lack of international support, including from the EU, hindered post-conflict reconstruction.”
“A two-state solution may not be perfect, and it may seem very far away at this moment, but it is our best chance for an enduring and lasting peace,” he noted.
“The EU has a major role to play in the region, including in the reconstruction of Gaza and Lebanon and the stabilisation of the new Syrian regime. Funding will be key, but political and diplomatic leadership will be equally important.”
“As Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Development and Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation to Palestine, I will be ensuring that the Middle East remains top of the agenda and front of mind.”