Belgian MEP confronts laughing Polish official during Gaza discussion

A heated confrontation unfolded in the European Parliament when Belgian MEP Marc Botenga sharply rebuked Polish Minister Adam Szlapka for laughing during a serious discussion about the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza under Israeli blockade.

Botenga, who has been among the Parliament’s most vocal and persistent advocates on Gaza issues, was preparing to deliver his remarks during the General Assembly when he noticed Szlapka, representing the E.U. Council as Poland’s Minister for European Affairs, laughing with colleagues.

“First, may I ask the Council to stop laughing?” Botenga interrupted his planned speech. “You were laughing while we were discussing how many Palestinians have died and continue to die of starvation. You’re joking and laughing. This isn’t funny. Palestinians are human beings too. You should be ashamed of yourself, and this is characteristic of the E.U. Right now, you don’t care about Palestinians.”

The Belgian lawmaker noted that while Szlapka had acknowledged the worsening conditions in Gaza during his earlier remarks on behalf of the Council, the minister failed to address the underlying causes driving the humanitarian disaster.

“You managed to say the situation is getting worse, but you didn’t mention why it’s deteriorating,” Botenga pointed out. “Why is it getting worse? Because Israel is blocking all humanitarian aid, all food, and even electricity. What does this mean? No electricity means no purification facilities, therefore no water.”

Botenga’s frustration visibly mounted as he continued to observe the minister’s demeanor. “You’re giggling there. How is this possible? How can this complicity in Europe and this disrespect for Palestinian lives exist? This needs to stop because you will regret it.”

Following the parliamentary session, Botenga elaborated on the incident in comments to the Anadolu Agency, providing additional context to his strong reaction.

“The European Parliament’s General Assembly discussed the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza due to the Israeli blockade,” Botenga explained to AA. “Many members of Parliament drew attention to the inhuman and criminal suffering imposed on the people, but in the middle of this extremely sensitive discussion, the E.U. Presidency representative, Polish Minister Adam Szlapka, began joking with his colleague.”

Botenga emphasized the gravity of the minister’s behavior. “He was downright laughing during several speeches. Such contempt for human life, for Palestinians as human beings, is a complete scandal.”

The MEP characterized the incident as revealing deeper problems with the E.U.’s approach to human rights. “It shows how hypocritical Europe is when it talks about universal human rights,” Botenga said, concluding that “Szlapka and his colleague should be deeply ashamed and apologize.”

The confrontation highlights ongoing tensions within European institutions regarding the E.U.’s response to the Gaza crisis, with critics like Botenga suggesting that actions and attitudes fail to match the bloc’s stated commitments to humanitarian principles as conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate.