The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola addressed the European Parliament Plenary Session following her visit to Israel.
Dear colleagues,
The situation in Israel, Gaza and the wider Middle East is at the top of all our concerns. The reality on the ground is horrific, it is tragic and desperate. Innocent lives are at stake.
On October 7th, the world awoke to the worst terrorist attack on families in Israel in generations. Hamas committed mass murder, kidnappings, rapes, torture, mutilations and desecrated the dead. There are no excuses for that. I am proud that this Parliament brought everyone together on our Esplanade to show solidarity with the victims and to underline that Hamas is a terrorist group that does not represent the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people - it hinders them - and it must be stopped. That is a distinction that we have always made and we must keep underlining.
Last Friday, after speaking to all the Political Groups, as President of the Parliament, I travelled to Israel on the invitation of the Knesset to express our solidarity, to reiterate our rejection of terrorism, to visit the sites of the atrocities, to urge for the release of nearly 200 hostages, to meet survivors and underline that how Israel responds to the attack matters to all of us. To emphasise that we must keep looking for solutions for the humanitarian consequences in Gaza in line with our obligations and international law. It was a message that I made and will keep making. I am proud that this Parliament has been a leading voice on this issue and I know that we will keep doing what we can to alleviate the suffering of the innocent.
The visit was tough - one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do as President - but it was important, even if the horror that I witnessed in the kibbutz at Kfar Azza and Re’im music festival will stay forever with me and with anyone who saw the incomprehensible and inexcusable depths to which man has sunk.
Even in the darkest of times, our Parliament has always and will always push for a fair two-state solution that is equitable and just. We will always push for a sustainable and lasting peace. I said this in the Knesset and in Ramallah when I visited President Abbas last year and it bears repeating now. Sadly, the vile actions of Hamas terrorists have pushed this prospect further away.
Today, the situation in Gaza remains impossible for so many. Our focus must remain on ensuring that the hostages kidnapped are released unconditionally, that humanitarian aid reaches those in need, that civilians are not targeted, that safe corridors are maintained, and that we keep engaging with the legitimate representatives of the Palestinian people and regional actors to de-escalate tensions in the region and neighbouring areas.
Tomorrow there will be an extraordinary European Council and this House debates this issue on Wednesday. I know that this Parliament and all of you will keep doing everything we can.
Thank you.