Pringle: The EU must be a voice for peace and show solidarity with Palestine

By Thomas Pringle
Updated: 21st March 2024

Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, said the EU must make itself a voice for peace, rather than making itself into ‘fortress Europe’.

Addressing the Dáil on Wednesday, Deputy Pringle said “Europe has been too weak and too slow in showing its solidarity with Palestine and it is disappointing to see some countries still denying the fact that this genocide is taking place at the hands of Israel, despite the fact that reports show that Israel is deliberately starving Palestinians. Denial of food constitutes a genocide. It is a war crime and the way 2.2 million Palestinians, who are facing severe shortages due to Israel destroying food supplies and restricting the flow of food and medicines, have been treated, not only by Israel but by the international community, is appalling and it is totally inhumane.

“These people need our urgent assistance, not weak and empty words. The Europe that allows this situation to continue is a Europe that will not be able to command the commitment of its citizens, and it is clear that citizens across Europe are at odds with the ruling classes.

“There is also a concerted move in Ireland to undermine our neutrality that is being led by Fianna Fáil and supported by Fine Gael and the Greens. This ties in with a militarized European Union that we are starting to see more and more,” he said.

The deputy said: “We have a unique role as one of the only former colonies that is a member of the European Union and we should use that role to act as a liaison between the EU and the rest of the world and be a voice of independence rather than a voice for war that being a member of NATO will bring,” he said.

The deputy was speaking during Statements on pre-European Council Meeting of 21st-22nd March.

Deputy Pringle said: “Is the EU going to mark its place in the world by making itself into ‘fortress Europe’ or is it going to be a voice for peace. I believe we should be the voice for peace but the government believes we should kowtow to our European masters and do what they ask of us, and that involves joining military alliances.”

He said: “We should also use our voice to be critical of the way that Europe is handling immigration and how the Mediterranean has become a graveyard for so many thousands upon thousands of people.”

Deputy Pringle said: “Rather than being ‘fortress Europe’ we should be an open Europe, a Europe that wants to work and share with the rest of the world rather than keeping the rest of the world down and keep ourselves closed-off from them to ensure that nobody comes in.

“That’s what I think is vitally important and that’s what the European Parliament should be looking at and that’s what the Council of Ministers should be looking at rather than what we’ll see, which will be ongoing militarisation and ongoing creation of a ‘fortress Europe’.”