SPÖ-Troch: Bring Austria back on a course of human rights, dialogue and peace

2023-12-21 16:37:04

Human rights and neutrality oblige us to work for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza

Vienna (OTS/SK) – “Can we still stand by and watch massive area bombings with around 19,000 deaths? As a human rights spokesman, I can’t and don’t want to look away anymore. Just as I condemn the Hamas terror of October 7th with 1,400 Israeli deaths or brutally abducted people, I strongly condemn the never-ending waves of bombing attacks, especially on the civilian residential areas in Gaza,” said the SPÖ human rights spokesman.

Israel undoubtedly has a right to self-defense. Nevertheless, one must recognize the suffering of civilians in Gaza, which aid organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and WHO complain about. “The suffering of the Palestinians stuck in Gaza can hardly be expressed in words,” said Troch. According to the Ministry of Health, the Israeli army’s hostilities in Gaza, which have now lasted 10 weeks, have claimed almost 19,000 lives, including around 6,000 children. This is confirmed by the United Nations.

The main protagonists of the conflict are civilians, especially children. We now have to mourn 1,400 civilians killed or abducted in Israel and 19,000 civilian victims in Gaza. This logic of war can escalate the spiral of violence and hatred without limits. It is feared that the thousands of deaths of civilians will drive the next generation of Palestinians into the arms of Hamas.

The restoration of human rights in Gaza/Israel is closely linked to ending the spiral of violence. On the one hand, peace requires secure borders for Israel and, on the other hand, a halt to the expulsion of Palestinian Arab populations from the West Bank and Gaza. Just like the Israelis, the Palestinians also have a right to a homeland and existence.

On behalf of the EU, Emmanuel Macron and Pedro Sanchez have clearly called for serious and rapid peace talks. The basis of a lasting peace can only be the mutual acceptance and implementation of the two-state solution Israel/Palestine.

“The decision of the UN General Assembly for a humanitarian ceasefire is to be welcomed, indeed there is no alternative. And Austria? Austria has lost its voice for peace and dialogue.” Austria is voting against the humanitarian ceasefire, while US President Biden, as well as the governments in London and Berlin, condemns the systematic bombing of even residential areas in Gaza. Austria’s vote against a humanitarian ceasefire in the UN General Assembly severely damages our reputation as a neutral country.

Federal Minister Schallenberg would be well advised not to carelessly sacrifice Austria’s role as a pioneer for human rights, as a mediator and as a neutral country. Austria has long been committed to peace and human rights. Austria was a country that once played a proud and effective role as a mediator – including in the Middle East conflict. For the first time, Austria’s foreign policy has crossed a red line, a precedent of which the Foreign Minister may not be aware.

“Foreign Minister Schallenberg is increasingly catapulting Austria into a corner of isolation. Both in the EU and in many other parts of the world, people are now just shaking their heads about Austria’s foreign policy,” said the SPÖ’s human rights spokesman. “The ÖVP foreign policy also shows this extreme positioning in the Schengen blockade of Romania and Bulgaria. At the international level, Austria is becoming increasingly isolated. “This is extremely fatal for a country whose security and status as an international seat depends heavily on global recognition of its neutrality and ability to engage in dialogue,” said Troch. As a neutral country, Austria would be in a valuable position to advocate for human rights, international humanitarian law and lasting peace. Austria must also expand humanitarian aid for Gaza.

In this sense, Mayor Michael Ludwig positions his hometown as a place of reconciliation and dialogue: with the reception of Israeli victims of the Hamas terror on October 7th in Vienna and in the Vienna City Hall, as well as with his offer to rescue and treat Palestinian babies and premature baby, Michael Ludwig positions Vienna as a city of human rights and very specific humanitarian aid. This is how Vienna and Austria score points internationally. (End) sr/up