STRASBOURG (France), July 18 — EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said today that “the bloodshed in Gaza must stop now”, adding that too many civilians in the Palestinian territory “have lost their lives as a result of Israel’s response to Hamas brutal terror”.
“The people of Gaza cannot bear any more, and humanity cannot bear any more,” she told the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
“We need an immediate and enduring ceasefire. We need the release of Israeli hostages, and we need to prepare for the day after.”
The EU chief made her final pitch today to win EU lawmakers’ backing for a second term, vowing to bolster Europe’s defence and strengthening its industry through greater investment.
With conflicts in and near Europe, von der Leyen insisted on the need for a “strong Europe” during a “period of deep anxiety and uncertainty”.
If von der Leyen is reappointed she will have a growing list of problems to tackle including the war in Ukraine, the risk of a wider conflict in the Middle East and the EU’s trade tensions with China.
She presented herself as the best and most experienced captain to steer the commission.
Von der Leyen reiterated the EU’s support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s aggression. She also condemned a visit by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to Moscow — just days after his country took on the rotating EU presidency in July — as an “appeasement mission”.
She is seeking to convince a wide spectrum of political parties, from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s far-right Brothers of Italy party to the Greens, to support her in a vote to be held later today.
Her promises sometimes appeared contradictory in the hour-long speech in the European Parliament during which she delivered an expansive road map for what her second five-year term would look like.
She vowed to boost Europe’s competitiveness and ensure significant investment in key industries including defence. But she also insisted the European Union would not swerve from ambitious climate goals that include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 90 per cent by 2040.
She said she would work on a new “clean industrial deal” to “help bring down energy bills” and focus on developing an “affordable housing plan”.
To get a second term she needs at least 361 votes in the 720-seat parliament, which is holding its first sitting in Strasbourg, France since EU-wide elections in June.
The EU lawmakers’ vote on her future will be held by secret ballot. — AFP
