Green Party MEP for Ireland South Grace O’Sullivan has welcomed the decision to unblock the release of millions of euros of EU funding to the Palestinian Authority, funds which she states “should never have been withheld in the first place”.
This much-needed EU funding for Palestianians had been blocked since 2021 primarily by Hungary’s Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, a well-known ally of Viktor Orban.
O’Sullivan noted that pro-Israeli lobbies and Israeli-aligned MEPs have falsely argued that Palestinian textbooks promote violence and hatred towards Israel, despite previous international studies, such as a 2013 study funded by the US government, disproving these claims.
This one-sided narrative has had severe consequences on the ground, which have been particularly felt in hospitals throughout the Palestinian occupied territories, with even cancer patients being turned away due to lack of funds for treatments.
Speaking from Brussels, MEP O’Sullivan, who sits on the Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with Palestine said: “Over the last year, we have witnessed how one Commissioner has managed to block millions of euros in medical and humanitarian relief to Palestine, despite governments across Europe, including Ireland, demanding an immediate release. This is totally unacceptable, and while I welcome the release of funding, it cannot happen again”.
She further stated: “An official European Parliament delegation I was due to join last month was blocked from entering Gaza, and despite condemnation from European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, who had just completed a visit to the region, I’ve yet to see any real consequences for those who blocked the visit.The EU needs to have a serious conversation about how it is failing at becoming a key player in resolving the conflict in Israel and Palestine. The misguided opinions of some are having life-or-death consequences for Palestinians on the ground, and we cannot allow this to become the norm”.
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