Seven Irish EPP congress delegates refuse to call for Hamas hostage release

Seven Fine Gael delegates at the European People’s Party’s Valencia congress on Wednesday refused to put their names to a motion condemning Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel and calling for the release of remaining hostages.

The resolution on ‘‘the urgent need to release all hostages held by Hamas’’ was one of several emergency motions on the second day of the congress, and was tabled by Sweden’s Christian Democrats and Austrian People’s Party delegations.

The resolution condemned, “in the strongest possible terms, the despicable [7 October 2023] terrorist attacks committed by the terrorist group Hamas against Israel”, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages taken by the terrorist group Hamas and for the bodies of deceased hostages to be returned.

The motion was approved by the congress but seven delegates abstained on a show of hands

Two sources familiar with the voting in the room confirmed to Euronews that the abstentions were from Ireland’s Fine Gael delegation. The congress procedure did not record the identities of delegates who voted by lifting white slips in the darkened conference room.

During the congress Fine Gael member Mairead McGuinness, who previously served as European Commissioner for financial services and as an MEP, was elected as a vice president of the EPP.

Fine Gael, McGuinness and the EPP have been approached for comment

Meanwhile a motion on “solidarity with Ukraine”, tabled by Baltic parties and Ukrainian groups, reaffirming determination “to use all means to put an end to Russia’s unprovoked, illegal, terrorist and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine”, also met with resistance.

It was also passed but one delegate voted against the motion, and 28 abstained.

This story has been updated with details of delegates abstaining.