The EU, A Nobel Peace Prize Laureate's DoubleStandard
The EU, A Nobel Peace Prize Laureate's DoubleStandard

About seven months ago, the European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace prize. How would you expect someone who is awarded with a peace prize to act? Let’s see what this award winner does to keep it peaceful on our planet.

To  many foreigners  Europe seems to be a wealthy and very peaceful continent. But having a closer look at Europe reveals some disturbing details. Here are some examples:

Great Britain, a well-respected member of the EU, is in control of the Falkland Islands, which geographically belong to Argentina. Why does Great Britain have the right to extend its borders and include islands thousands of miles away from Europe?

This is not the only thing to say about Great Britain. The conflict over Northern Ireland is yet not over and that Ireland conflict is a very bloody one, with lots of terror attacks.

Spain, another member of the EU, has borders that include the land of the Basque people. There has been much terror because of this very fact – but no one really cares. No one i the international commuity has joined the Basque people in support of its right to an independent state.

Turkey is not yet a member of the EU, but a very important trade partner. The EU invested millions in Turkey despite the fact that the Kurdish people also feel occupied and desire an independent state.

These conflicts seem to be not relevant to politicians in Europe and elsewhere. Also, the EU has no problems in investing in China - which occupies Tibet. The EU is constantly dealing with dictatorships. But when it comes to democratic Israel, the EU  feels like they must finally show how just and peaceful the “Nobel Peace Prize winner” is.

Does the EU really care about the Arabs in Judea and Samaria? Thousands of Arabs work in Israeli companies today. The EU boycott will force companies to fire employees.

Actually, however, we have an example from the past, when the EU did exactly the opposite in order to support peace between two nations – in the Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus.

Here is the official press release from the EU in June 2011:

“Brussels, 27 June 2011 - Today the European Commission approved €26.5 million of funding for the Turkish Cypriot community.  These funds will focus on measures to promote reconciliation and confidence building. Beneficiaries will include civil society organisations, schools, farmers, villages, SMEs.

Commenting on the decision, EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Štefan Füle said: "These 26,5 million euro demonstrate the continued commitment of the EU to the Turkish Cypriot community and to a Cyprus settlement. The activities implemented by the Commission with this fresh funding are reunification-driven, underlining the EU's expectations for a successful end of the talks towards reunification of the island."

"The whole Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community will total €28 million in 2011. €1.5 million has already been approved earlier this year to fund the EU Scholarship Programme for the academic year 2011/2012.

"Today's decision builds on the earlier €259 million multiannual aid programme. This programme was fully contracted by 2009, with projects running until 2012.”

So, when it comes to the occupied territories of Northern Cyprus, financial aid is seen to be helpful in bringing peace and unity. When it comes to the disputed territories in Judea and Samaria, how is i that financial aid is believed to bring the opposite?

This is a  double standard and cannot be accepted.

I am a German and an EU citizen  -  and I call my German government  to do  whatever possible in the EU to stop this double standard. I also call to all Europeans who are struggling for justice and democracy: Let’s not accept this. We can all contact the EU via email and ask them to reconsider their decision.

The author, Andreas Boldt, is the founder of a German pro Israel Facebook page:
www.facebook.com/Freunde.Israels