European Union policymakers are under mounting pressure to take stronger action regarding Israel, even as public opinion across the continent shifts notably against the Israeli government. A survey conducted by Pew Research Center across ten European nations revealed substantial majorities holding negative views of Israel, with sentiment deteriorating compared to the previous year. The shift followed regional escalations including the US-Israeli conflict with Iran and ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank. Polling data showed significant increases in negative sentiment: Poland saw an eight-point rise to 70%, Italy climbed nine points to 75%, and Germany also rose nine points to 73%.
Several Western nations have moved toward stricter stances on Israeli policy. The British government announced comprehensive trade sanctions targeting illegal Israeli settlements, condemning actions it characterized as ethnic cleansing. France and Canada subsequently pledged similar measures banning goods from settlements and sanctioning those facilitating or profiting from them. However, these initiatives have failed to generate broader EU-level coordination. An upcoming meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers is expected to reveal continued divisions among member states, with discussion likely focusing on upcoming elections in Israel and Palestine alongside ongoing Middle East conflicts.
The EU’s lack of unified response has drawn criticism from prominent former officials and diplomats. More than 500 former senior European figures, including ex-prime ministers and Josep Borrell, the bloc’s former chief diplomat, issued a statement condemning EU inaction. The statement specifically criticized Germany and Italy for systematically blocking EU measures addressing Israeli conduct in Gaza and the West Bank. These two nations possess sufficient voting weight to prevent the formation of a weighted majority necessary for imposing trade sanctions.
The European Commission has declined to propose trade bans on illegal settlements despite arguments from legal experts that such measures are required under a 2024 international court of justice advisory ruling on settlement illegality. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen cited member state disagreement as the reason for inaction. Critics argue this position contradicts both EU treaty obligations and international law, with former diplomats expressing frustration that European values are being sidelined in response to Palestinian humanitarian concerns.
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