Sinn Féin MEPs “demand answers” as Israel bombs €3 million of EU infrastructure in Gaza

Sinn Féin MEPs Lynn Boylan and Kathleen Funchion have written to the European Commission demanding “transparency and accountability” regarding Israel’s destruction of EU-funded infrastructure in Palestine.

The two Sinn Féin MEPs were joined by a number of other MPEs to submit a written question to the Commission in July demanding transparency from the Commission regarding the total value of EU-funded infrastructure destroyed in the West Bank and Gaza and asked the Commission to deduct these funds from other sources of EU funding that Israel currently benefits from.

On Friday, the Commission responded that, in the West Bank, Israel has destroyed €3.279,883 worth of EU-funded infrastructure between 2015 and 2024.

Boylan and Funchion said that the Commission previously refused to release documents regarding destruction in Gaza and did not provide any “concrete information” in their response to the question.

Boylan said, “Israel continues to show open contempt for European taxpayers by their destruction of EU-funded infrastructure in Palestine. The Commission’s response to politely ask for the money back is frankly laughable.”

“This should be deducted from other sources of funding given to Israel, for example, Horizon Europe. The failure to hold Israel to account for their genocide in Gaza and apartheid policies has led to a situation where they enjoy such impunity that there are no consequences when they destroy infrastructure that the European taxpayer has paid for,” the Dublin MEP said.

“There must be consequences. We have also written to the Taoiseach to ask that the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union would put this on the agenda and demand answers from the Commission. No other country in the world would be allowed to get away with this, and it’s long past time that the Commission stood up for human rights, international law and indeed their own taxpayers.”

Ireland South MEP Funchion said, “the European Commission’s response thus far to Israel’s genocide in Palestine has been spineless, and this latest revelation regarding the value of EU-funded infrastructure destroyed by Israel makes the case for more robust consequences.”

“It is long past time to impose sanctions on the rogue Israeli state. If the EU is serious about de-escalation and a ceasefire, it must send a clear message that it will not provide funding to support companies complicit in occupation and apartheid. There should be no trade deals for war criminals, and the EU-Israel Association Agreement must be suspended with immediate effect.”