European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has written to staff saying she is "ready to engage, and to listen to your concerns" over the conflict in the Middle East, following a letter signed by over 800 Commission officials last week protesting against her allegedly unequivocal support for Israel.
In a letter circulated internally, seen by RTÉ News, Ms von der Leyen said the events unfolding in the Middle East were "a deep source of sorrow and concern for all of us".
The letter was posted on the Commission's intranet service, and its source has been confirmed by a Commission spokesperson.
The Commission spokesperson said the internal memo from Ms von der Leyen was not in response to any letter in particular.
The spokesperson said the president had decided to address a message to staff because of the complexity and sensitivity of the situation and its impact on EU staff, including in delegations in the region.
Without referring to last week’s letter, the Commission president said she recognised that many staff members were affected by the crisis "on a personal level."
However, the letter appeared to suggest that such personal anguish might relate to knowing friends or relatives killed or taken hostage in the Hamas attacks of 7 October, or to the strains faced by EU staff working in delegations in the Middle East.
"Perhaps some of you have even lost loved ones or are fearing for the safety of friends or family taken hostage," she wrote.
She also referred to the terror attacks in Brussels and Arras in northern France last week, saying that Commission staff "whether Jewish, Muslim, Christian or non-confessional were feeling vulnerable, because of who they are and what they believe in".
Last week, Commission staff wrote a letter accusing Ms von der Leyen of giving legitimacy to alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza.
The letter was signed by over 800 Commission staff.
It stated: "We cannot remain silent observers when the Institution you represent as President not only has been unable to halt the Palestinian tragedy unfolding for decades in full impunity, but by its recent unfortunate actions or positions seem to give a free hand to the acceleration and the legitimacy of a war crime in the Gaza Strip."
The signatories said they "hardly recognise the values of the EU in the seeming indifference demonstrated over the past few days by our Institution toward the ongoing massacre of civilians in the Gaza Strip".
In her response today, Ms von der Leyen did not directly address any of the claims in the letter of last week, except to say that she thanked "colleagues who have shared their views during these very difficult and emotional developments".
"Together with other members of the College [of Commissioners], I am ready to engage and listen to your concerns and suggestions," she wrote.
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She said she wanted to reassure staff that Europe would "always be on the side of humanity and of human rights".
Without referring specifically to Israel’s military response to the killing of 1,400 Israeli civilians, she wrote: "We will work together with the international community to ensure that international humanitarian law is upheld".
The Commission president has come under attack in the European Parliament, and from politicians in member states - including Ireland - for appearing to provide unequivocal support to the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his military response to the 7 October attacks, and for allegedly going beyond the position adopted by EU member states.
Sources close to the president have defended her remarks and visit, insisting she had privately conveyed to the Israeli leadership the need to distinguish ordinary Palestinians from Hamas, and to provide humanitarian support for the people of Gaza.
