New accusations against von der Leyen

The German politician unconditionally backed Israel and the Netanyahu government. The Geneva International Peace Research Institute is calling on the ICC to open an investigation.

The role of Commission President von der Leyen in the war in Gaza has been a source of controversy for some time. After the terrorist attack by Islamist Hamas on 7 October, the German politician immediately and unconditionally backed Israel and the Netanyahu government.

She was criticised for this – by EU states such as Spain and Ireland, which take a more pro-Palestinian line, but also by employees of the EU institutions, who call for a balanced Middle East policy.

The Guardian reports on an open letter in which more than 200 EU employees complain about the Commission’s ‘inaction’. Even the latest judgements by international courts have not changed this, they write ‘with great concern’.

Now there are new accusations: Von der Leyen has stood idly by, possibly even approving the fact that the Hungarian EU Commissioner Varhelyi met with Defence Minister Gallant in Israel – although an arrest warrant has been applied for against Gallant for possible war crimes in Gaza.

Some human rights activists go even further: the head of the Commission herself should be prosecuted by the international community because she not only covered up for Gallant, but also for Prime Minister Netanyahu. She is therefore partly to blame for the atrocities in Gaza.

There is even a petition before the International Criminal Court. The Geneva International Peace Research Institute (GIPRI) is calling on the ICC to open an investigation. There are indications that von der Leyen is guilty of ‘complicity’ in war crimes.

These are still only accusations and complaints – not official proceedings as in ‘Pfizergate’, where even the European Public Prosecutor’s Office has become active. But they weigh heavily in the middle of the election campaign.

The public should at least know what Middle East policy von der Leyen is pursuing – and whether she is prepared to punish possible Israeli war crimes in Gaza just as harshly as Russian misdeeds in Ukraine.

However, her spokesperson did not want to answer when asked. EU chief diplomat Borrell is also keeping a low profile. Like Varhelyi, he reports to the President of the Commission. However, he takes a different, much more balanced line on Middle East policy…

Original post (in German) here