Why is the European Union pretending not to see how Israel is deliberately killing civilians in the occupied Gaza Strip?

On Friday, Israel killed four more unarmed protesters, including 14-year-old Muhammad Ayyoub, and injured hundreds more.

This brought to more than 30 the number of Palestinians killed by Israel in its violent suppression of the Great March of Return rallies that began on 30 March and are planned to continue until Nakba Day, the 15 May commemoration of the 1948 ethnic cleansing of Palestine.

The victims include four children and a journalist.

Thousands more have been injured, more than 1,600 by live ammunition that has caused devastating injuries likely to leave them with lifelong disabilities.

Two weeks ago, the International Criminal Court chief prosecutor warned Israeli leaders that they could end up on trial for this violence against civilians.

But as I told The Real News on Friday, the coddling and rewards Israel receives, particularly from the United States and the European Union, means that Israeli leaders feel completely immune and are continuing to carry out these killings.

You can watch the video of that interview at the top of this page.

The EU calls on the Israel Defence Forces to refrain from using lethal force against unarmed protestors. As stated repeatedly, the priority now must be to avoid any further escalation of violence and loss of life. https://t.co/zCL9UYrsBv — Maja Kocijančič (@MajaEUspox) April 21, 2018

On Saturday, the European Union called on Israel “to refrain from using lethal force against unarmed protesters” and claimed that a “full investigation is needed to understand what happened and why” four more people, including the child Muhammad Ayyoub, were killed.

This came after weeks of European officials rationalizing Israeli violence and subtly laying blame on Palestinians for their own deaths.

Israeli military fired teargas at family tents during Gaza protests, injuring hundreds. Most the demonstrators in Gaza– including older adults, women & children – congregated in encampments set up specifically for the demonstrations far from the fence. https://t.co/1HHG0bBWOZ pic.twitter.com/W1tXZxxOxO — B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم (@btselem) April 20, 2018

"We went to a peaceful demonstration in Gaza. There were entire families: children playing, women making bread, young men playing soccer. A teargas canister landed near the tent. I screamed, the children and I choked, I couldn’t open my eyes, rescue teams arrived.." Manal pic.twitter.com/ymf2hAUPB7 — B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم (@btselem) April 20, 2018

But once again, the EU has utterly failed to condemn Israel’s actions and is presenting itself as bewildered about what is happening, as if there has not already been a mountain of evidence collected by independent human rights and medical organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Al-Haq, B’Tselem, Al Mezan, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Médecins Sans Frontiers and a number of UN experts concerning the horrific results of Israel’s openly declared policy to shoot people who pose no conceivable threat.

This includes direct incitement by Israeli officers to kill children:

IDF reserve officer Brig. Gen. Zvi Fogel told Israeli radio station anyone who gets close to Gaza fence should be dead.



Interviewer: Even if he is unarmed child.



Fogel: Yes, even if he is a child.



(Horrifying replies in Hebrew )👇🏽 https://t.co/FlICgx2HKZ — Jamil Dakwar (@jdakwar) April 21, 2018

And on top of that, the slaying of Muhammad Ayyoub was seen by eyewitnesses and caught on video, showing that the boy presented no conceivable danger to anyone when he was killed:

لحظة استشهاد الطفل محمد إبراهيم أيوب (15 عامًا) برصاص قوات الاحتلال شرق جباليا شمال قطاع غزة مساء اليوم. pic.twitter.com/zi2yZ4XTo0 — شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) April 20, 2018

#update: the photographer who filmed the death of 15-year-old Mohammed Ayoub told @AP he saw the teen standing about 150 meters from the #GazaFence. He says Ayyoub was about to take cover behind a low sand berm when he was shot and fell to the ground#GreatReturnMarch — Asaf Ronel (@AsafRonel) April 21, 2018

#BREAKING: @IDFSpokesperson "estimates" that 15-year-old Mohammed Ayyoub (who was killed by an Israeli sniper dozens of meters away from the #GazaFence) was shot because he "tried to damage the fence" - via @OrHeller #NotTheOnion pic.twitter.com/7WRDpKd05x — Asaf Ronel (@AsafRonel) April 21, 2018

If that isn’t enough, the Israeli army has defended the killing of Ayyoub, stating that all shots fired on Friday “were according to the rules of engagement.”

Yet let us take the EU at its word, that it believes in the need for an independent investigation in order to “understand” what is happening and find its way out of the fog.

The @IntlCrimCourt has the responsibility to take action. The world has treated Israel with impunity allowing it to disregard and dehumanize Palestinian lives. Killing of teenager Mohammad Ayoub must be investigated. pic.twitter.com/z5VR7G4suH — Ahmad Tibi (@Ahmad_tibi) April 20, 2018

On 31 March, the day after Israel killed 17 Palestinians as tens of thousands took part in the first Great March of Return rallies, the EU’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini joined UN Secretary-General António Guterres in demanding “an independent and transparent investigation.”

According to Al-Haq’s preliminary documentation, at least 3 of the 4 killed had suffered bullet shots from behind, with their backs turned to the IOF, while another was shot by a live bullet in the neck #Gaza #GreatReturnMarch #Israel70 — Al-Haq الحق (@alhaq_org) April 21, 2018

On 18 April I wrote to Mogherini’s usually responsive press team to ask what the EU had done in the more than two weeks since its call for an investigation to make one happen.

I emailed @EUinIsrael @eu_eeas days ago to ask what *action* they’re taking to bring about international investigation @FedericaMog demanded after March 30 massacre in Gaza. No answer. EU statements are just hot air. https://t.co/hCbIue0gsH — Ali Abunimah (@AliAbunimah) April 21, 2018

“Please note I am not asking you to reiterate the EU’s desire, wish, aspiration, hope, belief etc, for such an investigation,” my inquiry stated. “My question now is very specific as to what actions the EU is taking.”

Three days, four killings and hundreds of injuries later, I have received no answer.

What I can say with certainty is that in the meantime EU officials and European governments continue to pour money into Israel’s arms industry.

And they have been effusively celebrating Israel’s so-called “independence” – the founding of an apartheid state that only continues to exist due to the subjugation, expulsion and regular massacres of Palestinians.