Gaza: Europe’s silence is no longer neutral

There are moments in political life when silence ceases to be neutral—when the absence of clarity, of courage, becomes its own form of complicity. The situation in Gaza—not only related to crimes against humanity, but also attempted genocide—is one of those moments.

No one can unsee the horrors of 7 October 2023. Innocent civilians killed. Families torn apart. These are atrocities that must be condemned without hesitation. But what followed—the wholesale destruction of Gaza, the displacement of over a million people, and the systematic starvation of an entire population—has gone far beyond the defence of a nation

It is, in truth, the prolonged punishment of a people.

This is not simply a humanitarian crisis. It is a human-made one. The World Food Programme has described “famine-like conditions” across Gaza. UNICEF has said that 90% of children under five are now facing extreme food poverty. Average life expectancy of Gazans dropped from 76 to 41.

Hospitals have been targeted. Entire neighbourhoods have been levelled. And still, aid is blocked or trickled in at a pace that does not match the urgency on the ground.

As a representative of the Maltese people, I cannot accept this as politics as usual. I come from a country with a political tradition that believes in social justice and dignity for all people—not some.

There is no negotiating with genocide. And there is no room for ambiguity when international law, and basic morality, are being eroded in real time. I say this fully aware of the complexity of the conflict, and of Israel’s legitimate right to security. But that right does not extend to the destruction of an entire civilian population.

I say this with respect and sincerity to the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. When our institution’s highest representative visits only one side of a brutal conflict, without acknowledging the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, it sends the wrong message. A Parliament that claims to stand for peace and democracy must show that it stands for all human lives not just for some. A brief visit to Gaza, under the watchful eye of the Israeli army, cannot hide or heal the wound caused by 19 months of silence.

As Europe reckons with its role in global security, I’ve taken a clear position against diverting more EU funds to weapons if this comes at the expense of social and environmental investment. I’m not blind to the geopolitical realities we face. But peace is not secured through escalation. It is built through diplomacy, honesty, and a willingness to protect the vulnerable not just in rhetoric, but in action.

The European Union has often spoken of being a force for peace—a principle at its very foundation.

Now is the time to prove it and that starts with calling for a stop to violence in Gaza, unfettered humanitarian access, and meaningful international accountability, including reference to the International Criminal Court, which is investigating alleged war crimes in the Palestinian enclave.

It also means speaking out as an institution and using the power of our market to exert pressure on regimes committing atrocities and, in this case, genocide.

The world is watching. But more importantly, so are our children and they will ask what we stood for when it mattered the most.

I choose to stand for peace, for humanity, and for the truth, even when it is uncomfortable.