Brussels, 10 February 2025
A delegation of Security and Defence Committee MEPs traveled to Israel and the Palestinian Territories from 5-8 February to assess the work of the EU’s two CSDP civilian missions.
Following a visit by a delegation of MEPs, led by Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, the Chair of the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE), MEPs underlined that the European Parliament stands firmly behind the two-State Solution as the only means to a lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.
It is not by coincidence that the newly created full Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE), decided its first visit would be to Israel and Palestine from 5-8 February 2025. MEPs held discussions with Israeli and Palestinian authorities as well as civil society and international partners working in the security and defence sector. MEPs travelled to the West Bank as well as to the Zikim Crossing Point.
For too long, the international community has paid lip service to the genuine pursuit of a two-State Solution. With further questions being raised, MEPs underlined that now it is time for the EU to build on the confidence that it has established with both Israeli and Palestinian authorities and step-up all its efforts to support the ceasefire agreement and all steps to achieve a lasting peaceful “day after”.
During their visit, MEPs recognized the valuable contribution of the EU’s CSDP missions, where EUPOL COPPS remains one of the few international partners providing direct support to the Palestinian Authority(PA), and EUBAM Rafah has been immediately redeployed to the Rafah crossing point following an Israeli and Palestinian request, and with the agreement of Egypt, demonstrating the EU’s readiness to play a concrete role in supporting the ceasefire.
In this context, MEPs call on Member States to ensure EUBAM Rafah is fully operational and is prepared in full capacity and provided with all the resources and expertise at the border crossing.
MEPs also reiterated that the question of whether a reformed PA can take over governance in Gaza is now a central issue. Any progress toward a two-State Solution requires serious investment in Palestinian security sector reform in both Gaza and the West Bank. The horrors of October 7 must never happen again, all hostages must be returned immediately and the unprecedented humanitarian suffering of civilians in Gaza must end. Growing settler violence must also stop. A genuine “day after” must offer hope, especially for young people on both sides.
Following the visit, Ms Strack-Zimmermann said:
“We must not repeat the mistakes of the past and, instead, seize this window of opportunity to support all phases of the ceasefire towards achieving a lasting peace. The EU must not only support but actively shape this process, the two CSDP Missions, EUPOL COPPS and EUBAM Rafah, are a small but strategic and concrete contribution which deserve reinforcement by EU Member States to play the needed role”.
“We support Israel’s security and its right to defend itself from Hamas. But this also means ensuring Gaza’s future must be in Palestinian hands, within the framework of a future Palestinian State. The time for action is now. Peace cannot wait longer.
Background
SEDE delegation was led by Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (Renew Europe, Germany) and MEP Nicolás Pascual de la Parte (EPP, Spain), and included 4 other Members Michał Szczerba (EPP, Poland), Sven Mikser (S&D, Estonia), Ana Catarina Mendes (S&D, Portugal) and Tineke Strik (The Greens/EFA, Netherlands).