EU governments slammed for abstention in UN Gaza ceasefire vote

The governments of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Greece have been criticised by MPs, mainly from the opposition, for abstaining on a UN resolution urging Israel to implement a humanitarian ceasefire without condemning Hamas.

Infogram map of Europe votes

The resolution was submitted by Jordan during the UN General Assembly on Friday. Several countries, including Germany and the US, had tried, but ultimately failed, to include a condemnation of Hamas’ terror in the resolution. Instead, the version that was eventually adopted with 120 countries voting in favour called for a ceasefire and generally condemned violence against civilians.

In Germany, critics from different parties and civil society spoke up during the weekend after Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) abstained.

“Because the resolution does not clearly name Hamas terror, does not call for the release of all hostages clearly enough, and does not affirm Israel’s right to self-defence, we decided with many of our European partners not to vote in favour,” Baerbock said in a statement after the vote.

While Tagesspiegel cited government sources as saying the decision to abstain had been coordinated between the Green-led foreign ministry and the Social Democrat-led chancellery, pushback came from the third coalition partner, the liberal FDP.

“The vote of the foreign ministry is disappointing and incomprehensible,” FDP general secretary Bijan Djir-Sarai told the newspaper. Criticism also came from the conservative opposition parties CDU and CSU and Israel’s ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, who said abstaining was “not enough.”

Despite agreeing with most of its content, the Dutch delegation stated that the omission of Israel’s right to self-defence and a lack of emphasis on the liberation of hostages led to its abstention.

“We abstained because there were a lot of good things in that resolution, but it also called for a ceasefire, and that means Israel does not have the right to defend itself,” outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte (VVD/Renew) stated during a radio interview on Saturday.

“We believe that Israel does need to be able to defend itself. There is no future for Israel otherwise,” he added.

Lawmakers and human rights organisations slammed the move. “Heaviest attacks so far on Gaza, communications disabled, ground war imminent. But the Netherlands remains silent at the UN. Shameful!” Socialist lawmaker Jasper van Dijk (SP/EU Left) posted on X.

Dutch parties D66 (Renew) and SP called for an emergency debate in parliament to discuss the issue. “D66 wants a debate on Gaza next week. Instead of a ceasefire, we see an escalation of violence. Instead of access to aid, we see an ongoing blockade. This leads to many civilian casualties and a more unsafe Israel,” D66 lawmaker Sjoerd Sjoerdsma stated on X.

While Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (Fratelli d’Italia/ECR) defended her government’s decision, stressing that it was in line with the position of many other European and G7 countries concerned about the escalating conflict in the Middle East, lawmakers from the left have called the government’s abstention a “grave mistake”.

“It was not acceptable (…) The resolution was not balanced”, commented Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani (Forza Italia/EPP).

“I think it was a mistake. Good thing France, Spain, and Portugal did vote for it. Call it a truce, call it a humanitarian ceasefire, call it a humanitarian pause, just stop this slaughter of civilians. The concern is enormous”, said PD Secretary Elly Schlein.

“Peace requires a straight back and courage, not the weakness and cowardice of a government that shows it considers the suffering of civilians a dramatic but inevitable side effect of war”, said former prime minister and 5 Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte.

Last but not least, in Athens, the main opposition Syriza leader Stefanos Kasselakis (EU left) said the UN vote was a “day of shame” for Greece.

“[It was] a day of shame for Greek diplomacy, the Greek people and their history”, he said.

“Even now, Greece must take the lead in efforts for a ceasefire, averting the humanitarian crisis and the release of hostages, instead of becoming more and more trapped in a security-dangerous, one-dimensional foreign policy of the given ally”, Syriza added.

(Julia Dahm | Euractiv.de, Benedikt Stöckl | Euractiv.com, Federica Pascale | Euractiv.it – Sarantis Michalopoulos)