In a significant and unprecedented statement, Teresa Ribera, Vice President of the European Commission, has publicly declared Israel’s war on Gaza a "genocide." This marks the first time a member of the EU's executive body has used this term to describe the conflict.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the academic year at Sciences Po university in Paris, Ribera stated, "The genocide in Gaza exposes Europe’s failure to act and speak with one voice, even as protests spread across European cities and 14 UN Security Council members call for an immediate ceasefire."
Her recent comments are a notable escalation from a statement she made last month, when she said the war looked "very much like genocide" but stopped short of an outright declaration. As the European Commission’s second-most senior official, Ribera's statement highlights a growing divide within the European Union on its stance regarding the conflict.
