“I know that it is not easy to advocate for peace and understanding when people are being killed and cities being shelled every day. It is not easy, but it is eventually the only way to break the cycle of violence that has been going on for too long. I know that you may be facing hostility within your societies for being here and speaking for peace and for speaking to each other

This meeting is being funded by the European Union, but despite this I am not sure that everybody will be happy of me being here today. But if we want to build peace, we have to talk with the people who want peace, as you. I am here because I think that we have to support the voices of peace, or the voices asking for war will be too many.

The world is in a critical juncture today, maybe in the most critical juncture in our lifetime. At the end of the month, I will be leaving the responsibilities I have been holding as High Representative of the European Union and Vice-President of the Commission for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. It has not always been easy to represent the European Union on this conflict, because the European Union member states are deeply divided about it. It is sufficient to have a look at the reactions that were provoked by the recent decision of the International Criminal Court to see how different are the positions inside the European Union.

Let me start by saying that this decision is not a political one; it is a court decision. It a decision taken by an international court that was created with a strong support from European Union member states.

The EU member states were very much supportive and when the court decided to issue an arrest warrant against the Russian President Vladimir Putin, many voices applauded it/ Some of these voices have kept quite remarkably silent today. As Vice-President of the European Commission and as High Representative, I want to express my support to the International Criminal Court and remind member states of the European Union that they are bound to implement the decision of the court.

The price of no peace in the Middle East has become exorbitant, not only for the people who are dying under the bombs, but for the whole region. And maybe for the whole world. Inaction is not an option. Wait and see is not a policy. And providing the same response to the same problem once and again without bringing a solution is no longer possible.

I think we agree on that due to your commitment, your strong commitment and the courage that you show going against the wind and facing animosity in order to fight for peace. I do not need to convince you. But let me say some things about how I see how to support the peace camp, to confront spoilers, to stick to the facts, to protect international law and to make the European Union relevant.

Once upon a time, the European Union was relevant on this dossier. The idea of the Two-State solution was launched by the European Union in Venice in 1982. So we were relevant and I think that we could become relevant again if have the political will. So let us go through these five guiding principles.

First support the peace camp.

Second, confront the spoilers.

Third, stick to the facts, which means fight against disinformation.

Fourth, protect international law against the spoilers of international law. This morning I got terrified when I listened to a US Senator saying that they are going to impose sanction on any country that cooperates with the Court of The Hague. It is really incredible. They mentioned Canada, France, Germany and any other country that might support the International Criminal Court. It is a US senator. So when I talk about protecting international law I am not talking in a vacuum. I am talking concretely.

And last, to make the European Union relevant.”