\u201cThey will have to understand that immunity cannot equate with impunity. \u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\u201cThe fact that the two highest figures of the EU continue business as usual engagements with Israel is beyond deplorable,\u201d Albanese said. \u201cI\u2019m not someone who says, \u2018History will judge them\u2019 \u2014 they will have to be judged before then. And they will have to understand that immunity cannot equate with impunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Israel has killed more than 50,000 people and destroyed almost all of Gaza\u2019s civilian infrastructure<\/a> since an attack by Hamas in October 2023. Most of the dead were civilians <\/a>\u2014 including tens of thousands of women and children.<\/p>\n Israel\u2019s initial aim of returning hostages taken by Hamas morphed into a U.S.-backed vision<\/a> for ethnically cleaning Palestinians from Gaza. To that end, Israel\u2019s army has intensified<\/a> lethal attacks, along with a watertight embargo<\/a> on food, water, electricity, and aid.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt is impossible not to see this as an intent to exterminate,\u201d the EU\u2019s former foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell wrote<\/a> late last month.<\/p>\n A complaint against the Leyen, the European Commission president, was filed<\/a> at the International Criminal Court last May for complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.<\/p>\n Since taking office in December, the bloc\u2019s new foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas has blamed Hamas<\/a> for an Israeli decision to end its ceasefire<\/a> in March, continued normal diplomatic relations<\/a>, and vowed<\/a> to \u201cstand in solidarity with Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe 1948 Genocide Convention calls upon signatories to not only punish but also prevent genocide,\u201d said Mouin Rabbani, a Middle East analyst and non-resident fellow at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies. \u201cHere we have the two senior EU officials not only refusing to take even symbolic action to prevent genocide, but actively normalizing and supporting it in the full knowledge that their backing enables the crimes they nominally oppose.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo of course, Special Rapporteur Albanese\u2019s points and observations are spot on and entirely correct.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n A spokesperson for the European Commission, the EU\u2019s executive body, insisted that the bloc was still commited to international law, arguing that the Europeans\u2019 business and diplomatic relations with Israel allowed officials to express their \u201cpositions and concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n The spokesperson, Gioia Franchellucci, said, \u201cThe association agreement with Israel is the legal basis of our ongoing dialogue with the Israeli authorities and it provides mechanisms to discuss issues and advance our point of views.\u201d<\/p>\n Late last year, The Intercept revealed<\/a> that an internal report by a top EU human rights official called for European countries to suspend all political relations and arms trading with Israel due to evidence of war crimes.<\/p>\n Beyond demanding accountability from EU leaders, Albanese said she is working on a report which will expose banks, pensions funds, tech companies, and universities for complicity in Gaza\u2019s destruction.<\/p>\n \u201cAll those implicated and involved in the unlawful occupation, in providing it with support, are aiding and abetting violations of international law and human rights violations and a number of these amount to crimes,\u201d she said. \u201cThere can be individual responsibility and individual liability for those who have been aiding and abetting or enabling such crimes.\u201d<\/p>\n \n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Though the International Criminal Court has issued warrants for Israeli leaders<\/a> including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu<\/a>, Middlesex University professor of international law William Schabas, an expert on genocide, said that prosecuting a senior EU figure would break with precedent.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s clear that there is a case,\u201d he said. \u201cNot all of Israel\u2019s supporters around the world would be \u2018accomplices\u2019 but she\u2019s the head of a very important intergovernmental organisation and is encouraging Israel. But I think it\u2019s unreasonable to expect the prosecutor of the ICC to take it up because he\u2019s only issued a couple of arrest warrants identifying people in the Israeli government and hasn\u2019t shown any interest in going further afield than that.\u201d<\/p>\n Schabas added, \u201cVon der Leyen is clearly reflecting a position taken by many EU governments, which is one of very unconditional support of Israel, and they\u2019re doing this flying in the face of public information suggesting that Israel is commiting terrible crimes in Gaza and the West Bank.\u201d<\/p>\n The latest calls for legal accountability come as the International Court of Justice public hearing<\/a> continues into Israel\u2019s obligations to allow humanitarian aid<\/a> \u2014 and aid agencies \u2014 access <\/a>to the occupied Palestinian territories.<\/p>\n The court has previously ruled that Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza may plausibly amount to genocide<\/a> and ordered Israel to allow in more aid<\/a>.<\/p>\n We\u2019re independent of corporate interests \u2014 and powered by members. Join us. <\/p>\n Join Our Newsletter <\/p>\n Thank You For Joining! <\/p>\n \n Original reporting. Fearless journalism. Delivered to you. <\/p>\n Will you take the next step to support our independent journalism by becoming a member of The Intercept?\n <\/p>\n By signing up, I agree to receive emails from The Intercept and to the Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Use<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"DEIR](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/GettyImages-1768403880-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n Become a member
\n <\/a><\/p>\n
\n Become a member
\n <\/a><\/p>\n