Launch of European humanitarian corridors from Lebanon to the EU

Question for written answer  E-002127/2024
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 144
Brando Benifei (S&D), Hana Jalloul Muro (S&D), Per Clausen (The Left), Matjaž Nemec (S&D), Vicent Marzà Ibáñez (Verts/ALE), Cecilia Strada (S&D), Alessandra Moretti (S&D), Kathleen Van Brempt (S&D), Merja Kyllönen (The Left), Krzysztof Śmiszek (S&D), Thijs Reuten (S&D), Villy Søvndal (Verts/ALE), Barry Andrews (Renew), Leoluca Orlando (Verts/ALE), Nacho Sánchez Amor (S&D), Nikos Papandreou (S&D), Bruno Gonçalves (S&D), Isabel Serra Sánchez (The Left), Irene Montero (The Left), Mounir Satouri (Verts/ALE), Christophe Grudler (Renew), Isabella Lövin (Verts/ALE), Alice Kuhnke (Verts/ALE), Marco Tarquinio (S&D), Chloé Ridel (S&D), Saskia Bricmont (Verts/ALE), Pernando Barrena Arza (The Left), Dario Tamburrano (The Left), Dario Nardella (S&D), Sebastian Everding (The Left), Giorgio Gori (S&D), Pasquale Tridico (The Left), Annalisa Corrado (S&D), Benedetta Scuderi (Verts/ALE), André Rodrigues (S&D), Rima Hassan (The Left), Irena Joveva (Renew), Cristina Maestre (S&D), Catarina Martins (The Left), Pina Picierno (S&D), Estelle Ceulemans (S&D), Alessandro Zan (S&D), Branislav Ondruš (NI), Cristina Guarda (Verts/ALE), Udo Bullmann (S&D), Stefano Bonaccini (S&D), Giuseppe Lupo (S&D), Hilde Vautmans (Renew), Alex Agius Saliba (S&D), Marta Temido (S&D), Damien Carême (The Left), Raffaele Topo (S&D), Sandro Ruotolo (S&D), Ignazio Roberto Marino (Verts/ALE), Mario Furore (The Left), Leire Pajín (S&D)

A year after Hamas’ terrorist attacks of 7 October 2023, a severe escalation is taking place in the Middle East, and more recently in particular in Lebanon. Israel launched a military operation in Lebanon on 27 September 2024 characterised by air strikes and the Israeli Ground Forces entered Lebanese territory on 30 September 2024.

According to UNICEF, the number of displaced civilians has already exceeded one million, and Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health has reported that Israeli raids in the southern region of Lebanon have killed over 2 000 people. A large number of the displaced civilians have escaped to Syria, which is not a safe country to host refugees and fleeing civilians, as Israeli air strikes have also been carried out in its territory. This puts the lives of displaced Lebanese and Palestinians, as well as the Syrian civilian population, at risk.

In light of this situation:

Does the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy intend to urgently promote the launch of European humanitarian corridors in Lebanon, in cooperation with civil society organisations, to allow Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian civilians fleeing the regional conflict to arrive legally and safely in the EU?

Submitted: 17.10.2024