Georgiou calls on EU to end ‘double standards’ over Israel

Strasbourg, France. Akel member of the European Parliament Giorgos Georgiou called on the European Union to end what he described as double standards in its approach to Israel compared with Russia, accusing Israel of committing genocide.

He also questioned why the EU had not suspended its association agreement with Israel.

Appeal to European Parliament

Addressing the European Parliament’s plenary session on Tuesday, Georgiou said people in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Iran and the Gulf were again bearing the cost of military escalation.

“Iran is being called upon to halt its bombardments, yet we seem unconcerned about who started and is perpetuating the war,” he said.

Georgiou said the EU had provided €300 billion to Ukraine and imposed 20 rounds of sanctions on Russia, while only “asking Israel very politely to stop its expansion of settlements”.

He said the issue went beyond settlements and described it as “criminal behaviour and genocide”, urging Europe to abandon double standards.

Association agreement

Georgiou asked why the EU had not suspended its association agreement with Israel. He said peace could not be achieved through further bombing and hypocrisy, but through justice, diplomacy and respect for international law.

Cyprus was among nine EU member states that objected when the bloc’s foreign ministers discussed suspending the agreement in May.

Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said at the time that Cyprus’ objection was procedural, stating that no decision by member states had been under consideration.

He said the exclusive competence rested with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who would decide after hearing the views of member states.

Cyprus’ position

Kombos said Cyprus had raised concerns about the procedure and the potential benefit of a decision at that stage, noting that any report produced would not be prepared by EU personnel on the ground.

He said reports informing the European Commission’s eventual decision at the end of the review would have to pass through the college of commissioners and be adopted unanimously by all 27 commissioners, including Cypriot commissioner Costas Kadis and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Cyprus considers the humanitarian situation in Gaza “tragic and unacceptable”, Kombos said, adding that Israel’s approach must change and that large-scale aid must enter Gaza.