A year after Oct. 7, EU-Israeli relations frayed amid war

Initially, the European Union and its member states were clear in their response to the Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Condemning them "in the strongest possible terms," the EU expressed its solidarity with Israel and the "right to defend itself in line with humanitarian and international law in the face of such violent and indiscriminate attacks."

A year later, said Peter Stano, the spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, the basic tenor has remained the same. He told DW that the EU continues to support Israel in its right to defend itself against terrorism. At the same time, "we continue urging Israeli partners to take into account also the humanitarian cost of the of the war in Gaza."

Since the terrorist attacks Islamist militant group Hamas carried out on Israel, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 hostages were taken to the Gaza Strip, more than 41,000 people have been killed by the Israeli army's ground offensive there, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza.

'Unprecedented moment of European unity and support of Israel'

Immediately after the terrorist attacks, Hugh Lovatt, a Middle East expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), observed what "was probably an unprecedented moment of European Unity and support of Israel."

But this unity appeared to crack not long after. EU states differed on the issue of whether to call for a longer cease-fire or several shorter pauses in the hostilities. Countries such as Germany and the Czech Republic argued that the call for a cease-fire denied Israel the right to self-defense, prevailing over other member states such as Spain and Ireland. After a summit in October 2023, the European heads of state and government called for "humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs."

In March, there was a call for an "immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable cease-fire." At the same time, heads of state and government have regularly called for the release of the hostages and expressed their concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

In June, the EU countries spoke of an "unacceptable number of civilian casualties" and called on both parties in the conflict to do everything in their power to protect the civilian population.

The Israeli representation to the EU and NATO informed DW in writing that the country appreciated the friendship and solidarity expressed by the EU after the events of October 7, particularly the visit by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, shortly after the attacks.

Still, von der Leyen has been criticized within the EU for positioning herself too much in favor of Israel.

The Israel-Hamas war has also had an impact on wider European society. In some countries, there have been both expressions of solidarity with Israel and pro-Palestinian protests — for example, at German and French universities.

Ground offensive tests solidarity

Now, one year after the attack, EU-Israeli relations are under unprecedented strain, said Lovatt. And this is mainly due to Israel's ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, for which Israel has invoked its right to self-defense. It has said the attacks are aimed at members of Hamas, which the EU, the US and other countries classify as a terrorist organization. The Israeli government has also claimed that Hamas, designated as a terrorist group by the EU, the US, Germany and others, is using civilians as shields in the conflict.

EU spokesperson Stano has also observed a change in the mood and atmosphere. This is because of the "dire catastrophic situation in Gaza and the enormous disproportionate death toll among the civilians," among other things, he said.

In early September, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock traveled to the region for the 11th time since the attack, where she said that purely military action in Gaza would not solve the conflict. She also called for a cease-fire and criticized Israel's settlement policy in the West Bank.

But the extent to which European words will be heard in Israel remains questionable. In April, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Baerbock and David Cameron, then the British foreign secretary. Afterward, Netanyahu emphasized that though "suggestions and advice" were appreciated, he would make his own decisions and do everything necessary for Israel's self-defense.

Can the EU influence Israel?

"The EU's problem, in my view, has not been a lack of leverage. It has been and remains the EU's lack of internal consensus," said Lovatt.

The EU certainly has opportunities to influence Israel, such as by imposing sanctions or through economic relations, including the EU-Israel Association Agreement. According to the EU, it is Israel's largest trading partner. In 2000, the agreement created an "institutional framework for political dialogue and economic cooperation" between Israel and the EU. Among other things, the agreement provides for a human rights clause and a free trade area. The latter does not include goods from Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territory, however.

In view of the situation in Gaza, some member states have called for the agreement to be reviewed. Stano said this had failed due to a lack of unanimity. Instead, Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, announced in May that a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council would be convened. According to the agreement, the body meets at least once a year, though the first such meeting took place in 2022 after a 10-year break. Stano said preparations are underway for another meeting. 

Israel's EU representation has emphasized that the country is the EU's main partner in the Middle East and that relations are based on shared values and a common history. In the face of common challenges, such as the fight against terrorism, an annual meeting is only natural and in the common interest.

The EU imposed sanctions against Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank for the first time in April. Further sanctions followed in July due to human rights violations against Palestinians in the West Bank. To impose such sanctions, the EU member states must vote unanimously in favor.

Israel rejects two-state solution

According to Stano, all EU states agree on one point: calling for a two-state solution, a separate state for the Palestinians alongside Israel, which is a stance that the events since October 7, 2023, have not changed. For the European Union, this is the "only feasible solution." The EU is working on this with international partners and within the framework of the United Nations.

Netanyahu's government has already clearly rejected the two-state solution several times, and a majority of the Israeli parliament recently "firmly" opposed the idea.

Lovatt said if the EU wants to advance its vision of a two-state solution, it must take concrete steps, such as the recognition of Palestine as a state or decisive sanctions against settlers in the West Bank.

In May, Ireland and Spain recognized the Palestinian territories as a state, and Slovenia followed suit in June. That means 14 of the 27 EU member state recognize Palestinian statehood, with Germany not among them.

This article was originally written in German.