Turkey Tries to Get More EU Countries to Support Palestine
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Sulaiman
- . December 16, 2023
- . Update: December 16, 2023 3:32 pm
Turkey has made it its mission to get European countries onboard to support Palestine and call for an immediate and full ceasefire in Gaza. Hakan Fidan, Turkish Foreign Minister, is in Oslo pushing for Gaza with the Arab League Contact Group and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
This meeting had the participation of foreign ministers of Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, the Netherlands, Iceland, Luxembourg, Finland and Norway. Tuesday’s vote at the United Nations General Assembly for immediate ceasefire in Gaza drew Finland, Sweden and Denmark in, a noted shift in stance as earlier they had not voted in favor of Palestine.
Back-to-back meetings have been held in Europe and the Middle East, as well as around the world including Geneva, Ottawa and Moscow, in regards to the war in Gaza where more than 18,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7. Calls for a humanitarian ceasefire are getting louder and clear, but it’s yet to be implemented.
Contact Group on Supporting Palestine
Sources say talks are bearing fruit as Fidan and the foreign ministers highlighted the need for a ceasefire. They underlined that the Scandinavian and Benelux countries’ will for dialogue with the Contact Group, which was formed last month at the joint summit of the Arab League and the OIC, reflected that awareness on the atrocities committed against Palestinians is increasing in western Europe.
The Contact Group is after international support to stop the conflict in Gaza and help bring about lasting peace. Its action brought a swift resolution to gain resonance worldwide. Turkey is playing a key role of active diplomacy. Ankara reiterated that the whole Gaza population cannot be punished for the Hamas attack on October 7. It said Israel’s attacks against the civilian population, infrastructure, schools, hospitals and refugee camps are illegal.
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EU Still Over Palestine
Meanwhile, the European Union is still divided on a vote to demand a ceasefire in the Israeli-Hamas conflict in Palestine. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar rapped Europe saying Europeans still refuse to collectively call for an end to the bombings in Gaza. European foreign policy decisions are made unanimity, made by consensus.
European Council President Charles Michel said after Friday’s Summit that leaders had simply solidified their common position and discussed the bloc’s vision for a long-term peaceful solution to the conflict based on the so-called two-state solution.
Ireland, Belgium, Spain and Slovenia have led EU calls for Israeli restraint and a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.
