European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas does not speak for Europeans on the genocide in Gaza.

Why is this important?

We are deeply shocked and condemn the remarks of EU Vice-President Kaja Kallas in Jerusalem (part of which is illegally occupied by Israel) on 24 March days after deadly Israeli overnight airstrikes across Gaza which shattered the ceasefire, killing over 400 people—including 180 children—and injuring 600. The attacks were timed to coincide with Ramadan's pre-dawn meal, exacerbating civilian casualties amid a three-week siege denying food, water, and medicine—a probable war crime. VP Kallas’ failure to condemn this attack, nor Palestinian suffering, including starvation, denial of aid, mass detentions (9,500 Palestinians, many without trial), and systemic abuse in prisons, denial of aid, while only expressing sympathy for an unharmed rabbi in France is a failure of her humanity and  to clearly stand for international law.  She made no mention of the nine Red Crescent medics, six civil defence workers and one UN Agency employee who went missing the day before and whose bound bodies with gunshot wounds to their heads and chests have now been discovered in a mass grave alongside their destroyed ambulances and fire engines. 

We denounce her praise of Israel’s tech sector, which has been used in lethal attacks (e.g., drone strikes, surveillance), and demand EU taxpayer money not fund such weapons. Israel has carved out a lucrative niche in the global arms market by selling drones tested out in the current genocide and during earlier offensives against Palestinians. And the “air shield” which Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is recommending for Europe appears to be a carbon copy of – or at least modelled on – Israel’s Iron Dome. 

There have been at least 50,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza due to Israel’s acts of genocide - this number is likely to be much higher -with 200,000 more likely to die from preventable life-destroying conditions. Israel is escalating violence in the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen. We denounce the EU for not condemning Israel’s actions The UN stresses that Israeli breaches of its obligations under the UN Charter  “seriously threaten” regional and international peace and security. We abhor the claim made by VP Kallas in Jerusalem that Iran is a threat, with no evidence, potentially green-lighting further Israeli aggression. 

With Israel facing ICJ genocide charges and its leaders under arrest warrants for war crimes, we demand that the EU uphold international law, enforce ICJ rulings, and end complicity in its violations. The EU must hold Israel accountable and prioritise Palestinian rights, security, and self-defence.