ANKARA
The leaders of the Western countries called for a cease-fire in Gaza and a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel.
Slovenian Member of Parliament Miroslav Gregoric, former Portuguese State for European Affairs Minister Bruno Macaes, former Vice President of the European Parliament Ryszard Czarnecki and Foundacion Alternativas Foreign Policy Director Vicente Palacio came to Türkiye to attend the Future of Palestine Conference.
Slovenian official Gregoric told Anadolu that the country’s stance is “very clear.”
Describing the ongoing Israeli onslaught on Gaza as “beyond imagination,” he said: “It’s very tragic. It’s overuse of force.”
“There is no justification,” he lamented, calling for a cease-fire, peace and a two-state solution.
“We are for immediate humanitarian support convoys to bring food, to bring water, to bring medicine,” he stressed, adding: “What is going on now is just appalling.”
Gregoric expressed his disapproval of the EU’s position on Gaza, stating that it is not strict enough towards Israel and overlooks its actions under the justification of self-defense.
He further added that Israel is occupying Palestine and committing serious crimes against humanity in Gaza and Lebanon.
Touching on Türkiye’s efforts in the region in the face of the ongoing Israeli attacks on both Gaza and Lebanon, he said that the country is a “regional superpower.”
Türkiye is “fighting to end the occupation of Palestine, and I hope all together, we will succeed, and that Palestine will be a free country living together in peace with Israel.”
“We are not against Israel as a state, but there should be a two-state solution where both countries live in peace,” he emphasized, pointing out the “terrible” humanitarian conditions in the region under constant strikes.
“Israel dropped more than 75,000 tons of bombs on Gaza, small strip in Gaza, which is like the equivalent of three atomic bombs in Hiroshima,” he recalled, underlining: “So it's a miracle that people are still alive there.”
- Being ‘a little more assertive’
Macaes evaluated his country's position on the Palestinian-Israeli issue and pointed out that Portugal, like Ireland and Spain, could recognize Palestine as a state.
He said that the recognition of Palestine as a state is being discussed in his country but no decision has been taken yet.
“It's not the right moment yet,” he said regarding the recognition decision, noting that Portugal is waiting for the pieces of opinion by France and Germany to make a certain move.
“I personally think we should go ahead and do it, because it's such a critical moment, and it would be an important signal,” he stressed.
The official also mentioned: “All we can do is to continue advocating for that.”
Regarding the EU's role in the Middle East, Macaes said that dialogue has been tried but has not worked and that there is a need to be more assertive, which might be the “suspension” of a trade deal with Israel.
He said that most people in Europe support Türkiye's position on the Middle East, but many countries do not know what to do or are afraid.
The official pointed out that Ankara has imposed some trade sanctions on Israel, and that many countries have not imposed trade sanctions, which made the situation in the Middle East “more dramatic.”
“There's a lot of fear, there's a lot of censorship. There's a lot of misinformation, propaganda around Gaza,” he lamented.
“I think the reason is obvious,” he said, adding: “Governments know that their public opinions do not support the genocide, and so they have to present an alternative reality, and people who support the genocide have to try to silence the others, (which is) very poisonous for our democracies.”
“I think it's actually destroying our democracies, and if it continues for longer, the impact will be devastating,” he warned.
Macaes further mentioned the need for them to be “more active.”
“We're not only defending the Palestinian people, we're actually defending our democracies,” he stated, criticizing: “The level of censorship, propaganda is unbelievable, particularly in the UK and Germany.”
Türkiye ‘extremely important playmaker’
Czarnecki praised Türkiye for its efforts in the Middle East, saying that the country is “an extremely important playmaker in this region.”
“Ankara has a crucial role, and I think Türkiye can be a very good partner for the EU for finding the peace solution in this one of the most tragic conflicts in our time,” he highlighted.
He emphasized the country's role in the region and called for a more active approach from organizations like the UN and the EU, urging concrete action for a long-term peaceful process rather than short-term cease-fires.
He also warned that the interconnected nature of the world means that Western countries could be affected by developments in the Middle East, including Lebanon, Gaza, and the West Bank.
Calling on the EU to be “more present” and “more active,” the official underlined that it is also the “responsibility” of the union to work for the de-escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
Idea of 2-state solution
Palacio also emphasized Spain's early call for a cease-fire and the need for a humanitarian corridor in Gaza.
He highlighted humanitarian aid as central to Spain's EU policy, with the country leading efforts on this issue.
He stressed the importance of the role of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza and the West Bank and urged the EU countries to increase their aid efforts.
The official pointed to the revival of the two-state solution, noting that Slovenia and Ireland followed Spain in recognizing Palestine.
Palacio further suggested sanctions against Israel as a deterrent and praised Türkiye's efforts in the Mediterranean, stressing the need for cooperation to achieve peace and stability in the region.
Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
More than 42,600 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 99,800 injured, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of Gaza amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.
Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
*Writing by Merve Berker
