Waqt dibattitu fil-Parlament Ewropew dwar ir-rikostruzzjoni ta’ Gaża, l-Ewroparlamentari Daniel Attard wassal messaġġ ċar li r-rikostruzzjoni ma tkun tiswa xejn jekk ma tkunx mibnija fuq il-ġustizzja, ir-responsabbiltà u r-rikonoxximent tad-drittijiet tal-poplu Palestinjan.
Fl-intervent tiegħu, Attard fetaħ b’ċifri li juru l-kobor tat-traġedja f’Gaża: 73,000 Palestinjani maqtula, fosthom 21,000 tifel u tifla; kważi 60,000 tifel u tifla li tilfu ġenitur wieħed jew iż-żewġ ġenituri; 10,000 tifel u tifla bi ġrieħi li se jbiddlulhom ħajjithom għal dejjem; kważi żewġ miljun persuna spostati; mijiet ta’ eluf ta’ djar imġarrfa; u mijiet ta’ ġurnalisti maqtula.
L-Ewroparlamentari Malti kkritika dak li sejjaħ bħala ipokrezija fir-rispons internazzjonali, u staqsa jekk l-istess kawtela kinitx tintuża kieku dawn kienu tfal Ukreni, jew kieku dawn l-azzjonijiet kienu qed jitwettqu mir-reġim Iranjan.
Huwa kkundanna wkoll il-vjolenza kontinwa tas-settlers fix-Xatt tal-Punent, fejn l-art qed tittieħed, familji qed jiġu attakkati, tfal qed jiġu terrorizzati, u l-impunità qed titħalla tkompli.
Attard tenna li Iżrael għandu dritt jeżisti, iżda insista li l-Palestina għandha l-istess dritt. Qal li r-rikonoxximent tal-Palestina mhuwiex kastig kontra Iżrael, iżda r-rikonoxximent ġust tad-drittijiet tal-poplu Palestinjan.
Huwa temm jgħid li mingħajr dan il-pedament, ma jistax ikun hemm paċi u rikostruzzjoni dejjiema, iżda biss qerda kkontrollata.
No lasting peace in the Middle East without justice and recognition of the Palestinian State
During a debate in the European Parliament on the reconstruction of Gaza, MEP Daniel Attard delivered a clear message that reconstruction is worthless if it is not built on justice, accountability and the recognition of the rights of the Palestinian people.
In his intervention, Attard opened with figures that show the scale of the tragedy in Gaza: 73,000 Palestinians killed, including 21,000 children; nearly 60,000 children who have lost one or both parents; 10,000 children with life changing injuries; almost two million people displaced; hundreds of thousands of homes destroyed; and hundreds of journalists killed.
The Maltese MEP criticised what he described as hypocrisy in the international response, asking whether the same caution would be used if these were Ukrainian children, or if these actions were being carried out by the Iranian regime.
He also condemned the continued violence by settlers in the West Bank, where land is being taken, families are being attacked, children are being terrorised, and impunity is being allowed to continue.
Attard reiterated that Israel has a right to exist, but insisted that Palestine has the same right. He said that recognising Palestine is not a punishment against Israel, but the rightful recognition of the rights of the Palestinian people.
He concluded by stating that without this foundation, there can be no lasting peace and reconstruction, but only managed destruction.