As EU Foreign Ministers are set to meet informally in Copenhagen under the Danish presidency and discuss the situation in the Middle East, , European Commission Teresa Ribera called out the EU for its inaction on Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and demanded a ‘’meaningful EU action as time is running out,’’ in an interview with the Financial Times. 

The European Commission Executive Vice-President, who has been one of the harshest critic of Israel within the European Commission, condemned the Commission’s lack of action in response to the crisis in Gaza.

‘’The EU has no more time to waste and must act on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,’’ the Spanish Socialist said.

In August, Ribera declared that the devastation in Gaza “looks very much like genocide.”What we are seeing is a population being targeted, killed and condemned to starve to death,’’ she said.

Another European Commissioner, Hadja Lahbib, who is in charge of crisis management, has also been vocal on the situation in Gaza and urged the EU to take tougher action as divisions among the 27 member states remain on sanctions against Israel demanded in particular by Spain and Ireland.

“We are at a turning point and now it’s time for the EU to act in a way that matches its international stature,” she said.

“We cannot stand by and simply watch innocent civilians, aid workers, journalists being killed and starving to death,” Lahbib added.

In a joint letter sent to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, the Foreign Ministers of Sweden and the Netherlands called f or sanctions on Hamas leadership and “extremist Israeli ministers,” as well as suspension of the trade dimension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.

At their meeting in Copenhagen, the 27 EU foreign ministers will discuss a proposal made by the European Commission to partially suspend Israel’s participation in the EU’s flagship research and innovation program Horizon Europe as punishment for the situation in Gaza.

So far this proposal has failed to garner the required qualified majority with big countries such as Germany and Italy opposing the mov and favouring dialogue with Jerusalem.

In July, Kaja Kallas reached an ‘’understanding’’ with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar to substantially increase the flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza population.

In a statement ahead of Saturday’s meeting, European Coalition for Israel (ECI)  Founding Director Tomas Sandell called upon the EU member states ‘’to help Israel defeat Hamas and not sanction the Jewish state.’’

“Choosing between the terrorist organisation Hamas, a sworn enemy of our Western civilisation and the State of Israel, our closest ally and the only democracy in the Middle East, should not be difficult. We must support Israel at all costs,’’ he said.