According to Hadji Lahbib, the greatest threat to lasting peace are “extremists on both sides.” There is Hamas, the perpetrators of the October 7, 2023 atrocity in Israel, which killed 1,200 people. And on the Israeli side they are “extremists who don't want to hear about a two-state solution” – he says, referring to the prime minister and members of his cabinet. — We hear a lot of things that are sometimes unacceptable from a responsible person at the head of his country, he emphasizes.
Does he think Netanyahu wants peace? “To ask such a question is to give an answer,” says Lahbib, the Belgian EU commissioner. — I have some doubts. So far he has been able to implement a ceasefire, so let's see what happens. But we all know he was against the two-state solution. […] We used to say in French that “only idiots don't change their minds.”
The commissioner adds that She won't call the Israeli leader an “idiot,” but she's clearly not a fan of his.
Asked whether Israel will have to choose new leaders who will be ready to accept a two-state solution, with an actual Palestinian state next to a secure Israel, she replies: – That's a very good question and these are the next steps, the key ones.
First there must be a ceasefire, then urgently needed aid, “and then a future that offers a horizon of hope to those people who now live in a sea of ruins.”
Hadja Lahbib, EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, during a debate in the European Parliament. Strasbourg, July 9, 2025EPA/GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO / PAP
Such an open discussion about elections in other countries is unusual for politicians. Israel is scheduled to hold elections for the 120-member Knesset in October 2026, though some expect the vote to take place earlierbecause the Prime Minister no longer has a majority. However, in Israeli politics, Netanyahu is known for his survival skills and has vowed to run for re-election.
In search of the Palestinian Nelson Mandela
Two weeks have passed since a Trump-inspired ceasefire went into effect, Hamas returned live hostages to Israel, and Israeli forces withdrew. But in the meantime, there were attacks with fatalitiesand the tension remains high. Overall, however, the truce was maintained.
The European Union – the largest overall donor of aid to the Palestinians (since October 7, 2023, Brussels has sent over EUR 500 million, i.e. approximately PLN 2.1 billion) – still remains a political question: Can it mend relations with Israel enough to play a role in shaping the future of the Middle East?
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Lahbib is responsible for the EU's huge central humanitarian aid budget and holds a key position in shaping Brussels' response to the conflict. Soon, if the truce holds, the focus will be on the future political and physical reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. International allies agree that Hamas cannot continue to run the administration of the Gaza Strip.
Lahbib suggests that Palestinians may need their own Nelson Mandela-like figure, he has in mind Marwan al-Barghusi, a leading member of the Fatah party who has been in an Israeli prison since 2002. Al-Barghusi topped polls as the Palestinian candidate for potential president.
“Perhaps he could be someone who still has credibility and legitimacy for the Palestinian people,” he says. – What if? [jest] a new, let's say Nelson Mandela, who has been freed and who is able on the one hand to have the trust of his people and on the other hand to lead the region, his own people, to peace, that will be fantastic.
What about sanctions against Israel?
Israel's new ambassador to the EU has said it is time for Brussels to abandon its threats – imposing sanctions and suspending parts of the EU-Israel Association Agreement – and instead restore cooperation funds that have been withheld. Lahbib rejects this proposal.
“On the contrary,” Lahbib replies. – The last two years have shown us that we have to have an impact – he emphasizes. In her opinion America made progress on peace precisely because it had influence. — Sometimes we have to push our friends.
Palestinians among the ruins of houses in Khan Yunus, October 25, 2025.PAP/EPA/HAITHAM IMAD
Asked if she believed Israel had committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, Lahbib said that ““Only a court can say that”. However, she pointed to an independent UN investigation that concluded that “genocide is or has been committed” and referred to the shocking scenes described by aid workers. “What happened there is inhumane and we need to regain our humanity,” he says.
The EU wants to be a “player” and not just a “payer” in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. But the political situation in Israel means that entrusting the EU with a role in the so-called Trump's peace council is a complicated decision. — The coalition is fragile and it is difficult for them to make a decision that will lead to peace, lasting peace, the commissioner emphasizes.
Trump and his team are committed to maintaining the ceasefire, and the US president's plan is “the end of the nightmare; we must recognize progress,” says Lahbib. — But the war is not over yet. To do this, we must work to implement a two-state solution. The situation is very fluid and delicate.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
