“Israel is now working with member states, leaving the E.U. outside more or less, sidelining it, ignoring it,” says Hildegard Bentele.
Europe-Israel relations have faced challenging times since the Hamas onslaught on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. While initial support for the Jewish state’s right to self-defense was total among European Union member states, this solidarity eroded quickly and changed into open hostility from both some governments and public opinion.
It also resulted in an unprecedented rise of antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment and acts in Europe.
Last September, the European Commission called for sanctions against Israel, including suspending trade preferences under the E.U.-Israel Association Agreement (adding tariffs in billions on goods like produce) and sanctioning extremist ministers/violent settlers, to improve Gaza’s humanitarian situation.