Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1536259
10 OPINION Thomas Bajada is a Labour MEP maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 11 JUNE 2025 THERE are moments in polit- ical life when silence ceases to be neutral—when the absence of clarity, of courage, becomes its own form of complicity. The situation in Gaza—not only related to crimes against humanity, but also attempted genocide—is one of those mo- ments. No one can unsee the horrors of 7 October 2023. Innocent civilians killed. Families torn apart. These are atrocities that must be condemned without hesitation. But what followed— the wholesale destruction of Gaza, the displacement of over a million people, and the sys- tematic starvation of an entire population—has gone far be- yond the defence of a nation It is, in truth, the prolonged punishment of a people. This is not simply a hu- manitarian crisis. It is a hu- man-made one. The World Food Programme has described "famine-like conditions" across Gaza. UNICEF has said that 90% of children under five are now facing extreme food pov- erty. Average life expectancy of Gazans dropped from 76 to 41. Hospitals have been targeted. Entire neighbourhoods have been levelled. And still, aid is blocked or trickled in at a pace that does not match the urgen- cy on the ground. As a representative of the Maltese people, I cannot accept this as politics as usual. I come from a country with a political tradition that believes in social justice and dignity for all peo- ple—not some. There is no negotiating with genocide. And there is no room for ambiguity when interna- tional law, and basic morality, are being eroded in real time. I say this fully aware of the com- plexity of the conflict, and of Israel's legitimate right to se- curity. But that right does not extend to the destruction of an entire civilian population. I say this with respect and sin- cerity to the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. When our institution's highest repre- sentative visits only one side of a brutal conflict, without ac- knowledging the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, it sends the wrong message. A Parliament that claims to stand for peace and democracy must show that it stands for all hu- man lives not just for some. A brief visit to Gaza, under the watchful eye of the Israeli ar- my, cannot hide or heal the wound caused by 19 months of silence. As Europe reckons with its role in global security, I've taken a clear position against diverting more EU funds to weapons if this comes at the expense of social and environ- mental investment. I'm not blind to the geopolit- ical realities we face. But peace is not secured through escala- tion. It is built through diplo- macy, honesty, and a willing- ness to protect the vulnerable not just in rhetoric, but in ac- tion. The European Union has of- ten spoken of being a force for peace—a principle at its very foundation. Now is the time to prove it and that starts with calling for a stop to violence in Gaza, un- fettered humanitarian access, and meaningful international accountability, including refer- ence to the International Crim- inal Court, which is investigat- ing alleged war crimes in the Palestinian enclave. It also means speaking out as an institution and using the power of our market to exert pressure on regimes commit- ting atrocities and, in this case, genocide. The world is watching. But more importantly, so are our children and they will ask what we stood for when it mattered the most. I choose to stand for peace, for humanity, and for the truth, even when it is uncomfortable. Gaza: Europe's silence is no longer neutral Thomas Bajada Tens of thousands in Gaza are seeking aid at sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which says it is pausing operations to improve safety and organisation