Debate on EU’s role in Iran

Yesterday I brought an old newspaper to a debate on the EU’s role in the Middle East crisis. I kept the Sun’s horrifying front page (“show them no pity!”) since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. While Europe remained deeply divided some governments defended international law and opposed the US, others followed Bush only to regret it years later amidst the unfolding disaster…

Remember: Iraq had a horrendous regime yet the US invasion caused even more suffering, poverty and corruption in the region. ISIS thrived on the ashes of Iraq’s old state, Iran boosted its influence in Iraqi politics while millions had to flee as refugees, hundreds of thousands of people died. The world became *more*, not less insecure.

This month, Israel’s most far right government dragged the US into yet another disastrous war, this time in Iran. With Europe’s 27, struggling to even condemn the attacks despite their political and economic consequences. Europeans remain equally silent on Israel‘s massive military invasion and sheer destruction of southern Lebanon, just like we remained silent for too many months as Gaza was getting bombed to levels rarely seen in World War II.

The EU made us all proud as it became a leading soft power that managed to carve its unique identity in defence of international law, human rights and the rule of law.

Yesterday, some speakers were arguing that the EU couldn’t do much in the current crisis, but that is simply not true. If Spain’s Prime Minister had the courage to oppose the madness of the Israeli-US air strikes, so can others. Last Saturday Trump said he could bomb Iran’s main oil hub “just for fun” : how can Germany and others still not see that Spain’s PM has a strategic and moral compass, while they do not have any clue?

We cannot do much more regarding the US, but we have done near to nothing to Israel’s unprecedented expansionism in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and its attacks on Iran.

Europeans have clear rules to increase the political cost of the Israeli government’s policy, they are just not using them. They have neither suspended the EU Israel Association agreement’s trade chapter, nor their political and military cooperations in order to send the message that business as usual must stop.

Otherwise, I am afraid that we Europeans are not only silent, but complicit in fuelling the conflict and emboldening this extremist government who has enjoyed impunity in Europe for far too long.

Unlike Trump and Netanyahu, millions of Iranians, Arabs and Israelis, but also Europeans are facing the consequences of their short-sighted and dangerous personal decisions.

Europe and the Middle East deserve better.

Photo credits Laura Batallam
Organizers Newframes
Moderator EU Observer Elena Sanchez
Speakers also included Bloomberg’s Samuel Stolton, MEP Hannah Neumann and Euronews (which was bought by Viktor Orban’s sovereign fund and, since, invited the Israeli PM regardless of the ICC arrest warrant)