Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have unilaterally broken the truce brokered by Joe Biden, jointly reigniting war in Gaza and across the wider region after two and a half years of suffering endured by the civilian population, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank.
In taking this step, they have effectively condemned the remaining hostages and continued committing war crimes against Gaza’s civilian population. Their actions have included indiscriminate bombing and the deliberate deprivation of food and electricity, consequently cutting off running water. Trump and Netanyahu appear determined to proceed with their plans to ethnically cleanse Gaza.
Furthermore, the risk of this conflict escalating into a broader regional or even global crisis remains alarmingly high. Instead of capitalising on military gains achieved by the Israeli army to pursue meaningful peace negotiations with the Palestinians and Israel’s neighbours, Netanyahu and Trump have chosen an aggressive escalation. Their actions have extended beyond Gaza, involving Israeli military operations in Syria and American actions in Yemen.
For the past two and a half years, the European Union has remained conspicuously silent and largely irrelevant regarding the Gaza conflict and broader Middle East tensions—issues of crucial importance for Europe’s own future. The proximity of the region to EU borders means developments there can have profound consequences for Europe, economically—particularly in energy supplies—and in terms of potential refugee movements. An unresolved conflict, conducted without regard for international law, risks deepening internal divisions within European societies and significantly destabilising them.
Yet so far, the EU has limited itself to vague and placatory statements, effectively allowing numerous war crimes and international law violations committed by Netanyahu’s government in Gaza, Jerusalem and the West Bank to pass without meaningful challenge. This double standard has already substantially weakened the EU’s global credibility, notably on the Ukraine issue, given the glaring inconsistency concerning human rights and international law.
Contrary to popular belief, the EU’s silence is not due to a lack of leverage. The EU is Israel’s largest trading and investment partner and the foremost partner in terms of people-to-people exchanges. European nations also provide around one-third of Israel’s arms imports. Additionally, the EU maintains an association agreement with Israel, the most extensive and advantageous among agreements signed with non-EU countries. Thus, the EU’s silence reflects a deliberate unwillingness to act.
However, this inaction has persisted far too long. Europe must now decisively oppose the extremist, racist, and supremacist policies of Netanyahu’s far-right government. Such opposition must translate into concrete actions, including:
- Suspending the EU-Israel association agreement, explicitly contingent on adherence to international law.
- Banning all imports originating from illegal Israeli settlements, as recommended by the International Court of Justice.
- Halting European arms sales to Israel.
- Official recognition by the European Union and its Member States of the State of Palestine.
By taking these measures, Europe would finally align its actions with its proclaimed values regarding international law and fundamental human rights and regain some credibility in the rest of the world. Furthermore, it would contribute to safeguarding Israel itself, which, in the medium term, faces significant threats from the reckless escalation initiated by Trump and Netanyahu.
Guillaume Duval is the former editor-in-chief of Alternatives Economiques and former speechwriter of HRVP Josep Borell.
