EU Civil Servants Clash Over Gaza Policy, Accuse Commission of Breaching Legal Obligations
European Union civil servants are in a standoff with the European Commission over their right to protest the bloc’s stance on Israel, accusing the EU of breaching moral and legal obligations. The civil servants claim that the EU’s position on the Gaza war puts them in violation of European and international law, citing unnamed officials within the bloc.
One official stated that complicity has been imposed on employees, violating their moral and legal obligations, suppressing conscientious resistance, and delaying meaningful action. Since late July, approximately 1,500 officials have reportedly signed an open letter warning of worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza and a surge in starvation-related deaths unless more aid is allowed. Some have considered picketing, although labor unions remain divided and the legal implications are unclear.
An internal group has alleged intimidation tactics against protesters, including the removal of staff, forced deletion of videos, and non-renewal of contracts. A Commission spokesperson emphasized that EU foreign policy is set by national governments and that civil servants must remain neutral, adding that the workplace is not a venue for activism.
Rights groups have accused the bloc of indirectly supporting Israel’s war by maintaining arms exports, preferential trade, and joint research projects, despite its own diplomats finding Israel in breach of human rights clauses. Humanitarian agencies report that aid deliveries to Gaza were completely blocked from early March to May, with UN warnings of mounting evidence of famine by late July, including images of severely malnourished children circulating globally.
Last week, West Jerusalem approved a plan to seize Gaza City, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisting it was the only way to secure the release of Hamas-held hostages and demilitarize the enclave. His remarks have resulted in widespread criticism and domestic protests.
Around 50 hostages remain unaccounted for in Gaza, with only about 20 believed to be alive. Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people and abducting 251 more. Since then, more than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in West Jerusalem’s military campaign, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.