Irish MEPs from various parties expressed sharp criticism of European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen as she left a European Parliament debate on the Israel-Hamas conflict without responding to questions.
During her opening remarks to the parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Dr von der Leyen defended last week’s trip to Tel Aviv after she was criticised for expressing unqualified support for Israel’s response to the Hamas attack.
“Only if we acknowledge Israel’s pain and its right to defend itself will we have the credibility to say that Israel should react as a democracy in line with international humanitarian law,” she told the chamber.
The “essential starting point” of the response needed to be that “Europe stands with Israel in this dark moment”, she said.
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At the end of her address she announced she was leaving the debate to return to Brussels for an event commemorating the victims of this week’s shooting of two Swedish football fans by an Islamic militant.
This meant she would not hear the contributions of MEPs or give a response, as is usual in such debates.
“After only 10 minutes into this debate, von der Leyen left the chamber!” Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews wrote on social media.
“This is shameful and disrespectful,” to the parliament, he continued, accusing her of having done “irrevocable damage” to the EU’s credibility by “failing to call out Israel for war crimes”.
“She should leave her job as well,” commented Left independent Mick Wallace, while fellow Left independent Clare Daly has also called on the EC president to resign.
Green MEP Grace O’Sullivan objected that Dr von der Leyen had not called for a ceasefire and said leadership from the top of the EU had been “severely lacking”.
Sinn Féin’s Chris MacManus, one of the Irish MEPs to get a speaking slot in the debate, said that Dr von der Leyen’s actions underscored why individual member states should retain their veto on EU foreign policy decisions.
“President von der Leyen, your actions are a crucial reminder why unanimity must be retained on foreign security and defence policy, particularly for neutral countries like Ireland,” Mr MacManus told the chamber.
Mr Andrews received applause from the chamber when he called for the EU to support a United Nations call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and aid corridor.
“International law is all that protects humanity in its darkest hours. I was astonished that President von der Leyen didn’t take the opportunity to acknowledge the confused communications from the European Commission and the damage that’s done to our credibility,” he said.
In a statement released before the debate, Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher said that without a change in message he would find it “very difficult” to support Dr von der Leyen for a second term as president when her mandate ends next year.
In advance of Dr von der Leyen’s appearance, a cross-party selection of Irish MEPs signed a letter to her that called for Hungarian commissioner Oliver Varhelyi “to resign or for him to be relieved of his duties”.
Mr Varhelyi unilaterally declared on social media last week, despite not having authorisation to do so, that all the European Commission’s Palestinian development aid payments would be “immediately suspended”.
“Commissioner Varhelyi’s actions undermine not only the image of our institutions, but the trust that EU citizens put in the Commission,” the letter read.
It was signed by Mr Andrews and Mr Kelleher, Green MEPs Ciarán Cuffe and Ms O’Sullivan, Fine Gael MEP Maria Walsh and by Mr MacManus.
“His actions were unconscionable. He is unfit for his position. He must resign,” Mr Cuffe said.
