On Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel, the need for de-escalation and the EU response

B90240/2024

European Parliament resolution on Iran’s unprecedented attack on Israel, the need for de-escalation and the EU response

(2024/2704(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to the Charter of the United Nations, in particular Articles 2(4) and 51 thereof,

–having regard to its previous resolutions on Iran,

–having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.whereas Hamas launched a brutal attack against Israel in the early morning of 7 October 2023;

B.whereas the consequences of this attack have spilled over into the region and further destabilised the Middle East; whereas Israel has warned other countries not to get involved in the conflict;

C.whereas Iran launched an unprecedented attack against Israel on 13 April 2024, citing the bombing on 1 April 2024 of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, during which several commanders from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed, as the underlying reason for the air strike; whereas missiles and drones were also launched from Iraq, Syria and Yemen; whereas numerous missiles and drones were intercepted by Israel, the US, the UK and Jordan; whereas France also assisted in patrolling the airspace;

D.whereas US officials have confirmed that Israel carried out military operations against Iran on 19 April 2024;

E.whereas the European Parliament has repeatedly called for the IRGC to be classified as a terrorist organisation;

1.Condemns, in the strongest terms, the unprecedented attack by Iran, during which Iran’s IRGC launched more than 300 drones and missiles in an air strike against Israel; further condemns Iran’s current and historical track record of using proxies to carry out its political and military objectives;

2.Reiterates its condemnation of Hamas’ brutal terror attack of 7 October 2023 against Israel, which was the catalyst for the current conflict; reiterates, furthermore, its calls on Hamas to immediately and unconditionally release all Israeli hostages;

3.Recalls that Israel is a sovereign state and reaffirms Israel’s right of existence; underlines that Israel has the right to defend itself against attacks by state and non-state actors alike;

4.Calls for restraint and a de-escalation of the conflict to prevent further destabilisation in the region, which would further undermine the results achieved by the Abraham Accords that normalised diplomatic relations and led to a new form of regional economic and political cooperation in the Middle East; calls on all parties to respect international humanitarian law;

5.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Parliaments of the Member States and the Governments of Israel and of Iran.