Lukas Mandl debates an urgent ceasefire in Lebanon and Middle East peace!

Subscribe here: https://bit.ly/eudebatesDuring the debate, Nicolas Pascual De La Parte of the European People's Party, the largest group in the EP, called for the immediate dismantling and disarmament of Hezbollah, emphasizing that negotiations with a terrorist organization are impossible.

Yannis Maniatis of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats acknowledged Israel's right to self-defense but stressed that it must be exercised in accordance with international law, without bombing other countries. The Greek socialist pointed out that some 2,500 civilians have been killed in Lebanon so far, and 1.5 million people have been displaced.

Maniatis concluded by calling for an end to the vicious cycle of violence, including a ceasefire in Gaza.

Jordan Bardella of the far-right Patriots for Europe group emphasized that Israel was engaged in a legitimate fight against Islamic terrorism within the bounds of international law. He added that Lebanon must reclaim its sovereignty from terrorists, referring to Hezbollah’s reputation as a state within a state. Bardella also called for France to play a role in securing a ceasefire.

Carlo Fidanza of the European Conservatives and Reformists said that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was the first EU leader to visit Lebanon since the violence escalated. He called for a ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza and for the release of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

Christophe Grudler of the liberal Renew Europe group condemned the attacks on UNIFIL as a violation of international law, calling for an immediate ceasefire. However, he expressed a pessimistic view, saying the current escalation leaves a sense of deja vu.

Leoluca Orlando of the Greens said that the military aggression against UNIFIL is deliberate, not accidental, stressing that Israel must defend itself in accordance with international law.

Lynn Boylan of the Left group condemned what she called Israeli aggression in Lebanon and Gaza. She said that Israel is deliberately attacking UN forces and questioned the EU’s moral compass. Boylan added that hypocrisy must stop.

Tomasz Froelich of the far-right Europe of Sovereign Nations group said that while Israel has the right to defend itself, it should not turn the Middle East into ashes. He added that this is no longer self-defense but rather "hell on Earth," and called for an end to arms supplies to Israel.

Hezbollah has been shelling northern Israel since the start of the Gaza conflict, which was triggered by an attack from Hamas, another Iran-backed group, on southern Israeli areas on October 7, 2023. The Israeli military launched its operation in Lebanon to stop the cross-border shelling and allow displaced residents to return to their homes.

Last weekend, the Biden administration sent a letter to the Israeli government demanding it act to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza within the next 30 days or risk violating US laws governing foreign military assistance.

In veiled criticism on Thursday, the European Union’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell said that too many people could die in that time.

“The US has been saying to Israel that they have to improve humanitarian support to Gaza, but they gave one month delay,” the EU foreign policy chief told reporters ahead of a leaders’ summit, according to Reuters. “One month delay at the current pace of people being killed. It’s too many people,” Borrell said.

Lebanon war ‘tipped things over the edge’
Relations were initially strained because of Israel’s assault in Gaza, Lovatt said, “which is seen by many European governments, including those who are still supportive of Israel, as having been disproportionate and in contradiction to international law.”

Israel’s ground operation against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon may have “tipped things over the edge” for many European states, Lovatt said. European reproach of Israel reached new levels when Israeli military strikes began hitting posts of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon. The mission, UNIFIL, has been stationed there since 1978 and is made up of 50 nationalities, including troops from Spain, Ireland, Italy and France.

Maya Sion-Tzidkiyahu, director of the Israel-Europe Relations Program at the Mitvim think tank in Jerusalem, said that “when it comes to defending their own soldiers,” European states tend to be more vocal.

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