Criticizing Europe's inability to provide a joint response to developments in Gaza and the West Bank, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called in a speech to the European Parliament for the establishment of a new European Security Council. Von der Leyen also called for an EU-wide emergency security protocol to bring all European Union countries together during security incidents.
Call for a common position on Gaza and the West Bank
Von der Leyen said the humanitarian suffering in Gaza and the violence in the West Bank were deeply affecting Europeans. She described the E1 settlement project, which the Israeli government has decided to advance in the West Bank, as unacceptable.
Von der Leyen said European Union member states had been unable to form the majority needed to provide a common response to developments in the region, recalling that she had previously said Europe needed to take action. Saying that Europe could not change the course of events if it remained divided, von der Leyen stated that they supported Israel's right to defend itself and that Palestinians also had the right to live in security and dignity.
Von der Leyen said Europe needed to keep the hope of a two-state solution alive, adding that this was Europe's role.
A new security mechanism for Europe
Speaking at a time when the war in Ukraine is continuing and alleged Russia-linked hybrid threats against European countries are increasing, von der Leyen said Europe's security institutions and decision-making mechanisms had failed to keep pace with the changing threat environment.
Von der Leyen said the European Union needed to prepare a common plan for responding to incidents that fall below the threshold of an armed attack but pose a threat to national security, referring to Article 4 of the NATO treaty, which provides for consultations when a member believes it is under threat. She said Europe therefore needed its own emergency security protocol.
Under the proposal, when a member state activates the protocol, European Union countries will come together to coordinate a common European response, prevent an escalation of tensions and reduce the impact of the incident. Von der Leyen said the mechanism would complement, rather than replace, existing cooperation with NATO, whose membership largely overlaps with that of the European Union.
Von der Leyen announced that she would present proposals to establish the European Security Council. Under the planned format, European Union leaders will meet with partners such as Canada, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Norway to focus on European security.
Migration movements and external borders
Addressing Europe's external borders, von der Leyen referred to Ceuta and said that thousands of irregular migrants had been attempting to cross the border in Spain's North African territory since late July. Saying that the incidents differed in nature but shared common elements, von der Leyen stated that human traffickers and networks illegally transporting migrants were exploiting vulnerable people.
Von der Leyen claimed that Europe's rivals were also exploiting these movements and announced that the European Commission had proposed sanctions targeting human traffickers and those involved in migrant smuggling.
Von der Leyen said Europe needed tools to protect its external borders, particularly against situations in which mass movements were deliberately created and used as a tool. She said a new European emergency response instrument would be prepared for this purpose and activated only when strictly defined criteria were met. She noted that the mechanism would introduce time-limited and clearly defined flexibility into standard procedures in such situations.
European Union values and reaction to Ratko Mladić
Emphasizing that respect for European Union values was non-negotiable, von der Leyen addressed an incident in Serbia, which is seeking membership. Von der Leyen said she was horrified by footage from the funeral ceremony for Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladić held in Belgrade last week, and accused Mladić of committing serious crimes against humanity.
Von der Leyen said the glorification of war criminals had no place in the European Union.
