Is the West Finally Breaking Its Silence on Gaza?
France’s L’Humanité says Europe may be entering a new phase—condemning Israeli atrocities, pushing for sanctions, and edging closer to recognizing Palestine.
Watan-Under the headline “The War on Gaza: Is the West Finally Turning a Corner by Breaking Its Silence?”, the French newspaper L’Humanité declared in its editorial that the tone from Western capitals has definitively shifted.
With a joint statement condemning Israel’s assault on Gaza, demanding humanitarian access, and criticizing both the level of suffering and the dehumanizing language used by members of the Israeli government—including calls for forced deportation—figures like Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, and Mark Carney have, at least verbally, broken their complicit silence, the paper says.
The editorial poses a question: Have Western capitals finally awakened, moved by the atrocities committed by Netanyahu’s forces and by mounting public pressure—even from within Israel itself?
L’Humanité argues that Israel’s regime is now more isolated than ever—and Netanyahu knows it. His ongoing military escalation, the paper asserts, serves both as a political survival strategy and a means to pursue his real objective: annexing Gaza, expelling its Palestinian population, and continuing expansion in the West Bank, Syria, and Lebanon.
The editorial denounces Netanyahu’s repeated use of the charge of antisemitism against critics of the Gaza war or those who oppose Israel’s objectives, calling it a deflection tactic to silence dissent.
While European and North American leaders are now using stronger and unprecedented language—especially as Paris, London, and Ottawa jointly voice their “commitment to recognizing a Palestinian state”—L’Humanité insists that words are no longer enough. Concrete sanctions must follow to stop what it calls mass atrocities committed by a “war criminal” under international arrest warrant.
The paper highlights EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas’s announcement of a review of the EU-Israel partnership agreement. L’Humanité says this is a step in the right direction but urges Brussels to go further.
The editorial calls urgently for:
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A full embargo on arms sales and exports to Israel
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Legal action to uphold international law
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The arrest of Benjamin Netanyahu
Awareness, the paper writes, is only the first step. The others must now follow.
L’Humanité further notes that Netanyahu’s aggressive actions not only defy international justice and human rights but even jeopardize his own citizens. According to the Hostages’ Families Forum, 70% of Israelis denounce his planned ground invasion of Gaza as a deadly risk to hostages—an operation coordinated with Tel Aviv and backed by Washington.
Finally, the newspaper asks: “What more is the world waiting for to act? How far must Netanyahu’s inhumanity go before he is stopped and held accountable?”
Looking ahead, L’Humanité notes that during the upcoming June 2 joint UN conference hosted by France and Saudi Arabia, Paris may finally recognize the State of Palestine. The editorial concludes with a strong appeal: French President Emmanuel Macron must not hesitate—symbolic though it may be, such a step is essential.
