Statement

On 9 May 1950, just five years after the greatest tragedy Europe had ever known, Robert Schuman put forward a revolutionary idea: to make war impossible through unity among the peoples of Europe. It was not just a political declaration. It was an act of moral courage. A decision to respond to hatred with cooperation, to fear with democracy, and to destruction with hope.

Today, seventy-six years later, Europe once again faces a decisive moment. We are living in a time of wars, geopolitical tensions, threats to international law, and the rise of those who seek to replace cooperation with the law of the strongest.

We see this in Ukraine, where a people continues to defend its freedom against a cruel war. We see it in Palestine, where the civilian population continues to suffer an unbearable massacre that demands a permanent ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and the effective recognition of the Palestinian State. We see it in Lebanon, in Iran, and in an increasingly unstable Mediterranean.

Europe helped consolidate freedoms, develop territories, and strengthen the welfare state. Therefore, Europe cannot now remain idle while one of its partners violates international law.

For this reason, IUSY wishes to use this 9 May to call for the full suspension of the Association Agreement between Europe and Israel, as it violates international law and, therefore, the principles and values of the European Union.

We want a Europe that protects its workers, guarantees fair wages and quality jobs, strengthens its public services, and ensures that housing does not become an unaffordable luxury for the majority.

We want a Europe that defends its social model and strengthens an ambitious European budget, capable of sustaining cohesion policy, the Common Agricultural Policy, and the investments needed to address the major challenges of our time.

We want a Europe that accelerates the ecological transition through social justice. Because renewable energy is the best tool to combat climate change, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and lower energy costs for families and businesses. The European Green Deal is not the problem. It is the solution.

We want a feminist Europe that continues to expand rights and freedoms, protects women against any regression, and proudly defends the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community against those who seek to take us backwards.

We want a Europe that manages migration with solidarity, humanity, and shared responsibility.

We want a Europe that is strong in the world, with a common foreign and security policy capable of speaking with one voice in defense of peace, democracy, and human rights.

And we want a Europe that never renounces its soul. Because Europe was born to prove that politics can serve human dignity.

The history of Europe has never been a history of resignation. It has always been the story of those who, even in the most difficult moments, chose to move forward.

Because Europe is much more than a market or a currency. Europe is the promise that shared progress is possible. And that promise deserves to be defended. Today and always.