EU leaders converge on Israel but calls for trade sanctions still fail

A summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday – the first since Israel expanded its offensive into southern Lebanon – ended with repeated calls for de-escalation in the Middle East, the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza, and condemnation of Israel’s recent attacks against UN peacekeepers.

But according to diplomatic sources, leaders’ stances on Israel’s operations – once deeply divided – have started to converge since Israeli forces expanded their offensive into southern Lebanon, targeting the UN peacekeeping troops of UNIFIL, which include the personnel of 16 EU countries.

“The attitude of Israel is becoming less and less acceptable to EU leaders in the room,” according to an EU official close to the discussions between leaders.

“We are seeing that positions on Israel’s operation are narrowing, or converging, while they were once polarised,” a diplomatic source from a northern EU country, said.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whose government is considered among the most steadfast supporters of Palestinians, told reporters he sensed a shift in leaders’ positions.

“Yes, I sense, I see that those countries that have been most vocal in defending Israel are finding increasing difficulties in defending Israeli actions and the government of Benjamin Netanyahu,” Sánchez said.

Sánchez and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose governments have not seen eye to eye on the conflict that erupted in Gaza following Hamas’ October 7th attacks on Israel, took the initiative of jointly drafting the 27 leaders’ final statement on the Middle East.

The move signals increasing appetite to smooth out divisions between EU leaders.

The shift is considered to be largely due to recent reports of Israeli forces firing at the UNIFIL peacekeeping troops.

The international mission was established by the United Nations Security Council in 1978 to restore peace and security in southern Lebanon, near the border with Israel, known as the Blue Line. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the Hezbollah militant group is using UNIFIL troops as a “human shield”, and has in recent days doubled down on his demands that the peacekeeping forces leave southern Lebanon.

In conclusions adopted late on Thursday evening, EU leaders countered that call: “The European Council supports the fundamental stabilisation role of UNIFIL in southern Lebanon, and calls on all parties to protect and support UNIFIL’s important mission.”

Support for restricting trade still in minority

Despite the convergence in stances, there is still no majority support for leveraging the EU’s economic power to exert diplomatic pressure on Netanyahu’s government.

Ireland and Spain have jointly called on the European Commission to re-open its trade deal with Israel in an Association Council, a forum that would allow both sides to discuss their bilateral relationship.

The EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell convened Israel to attend an Association Council in early June in order to assess the country’s compliance with its human rights obligations. Article 2 of the trade agreement makes the arrangements conditional on the “respect for human rights and democratic principles.”

Sources tell Euronews that Israel has agreed in principle to discuss the Association Agreement, but on the conditions the discussions do not relate to the situation in Gaza.

Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris told reporters on Wednesday that his government would receive fresh legal advice from the attorney general that could lead to the revival of a 2018 bill outlawing trade between Ireland and Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

It would see Ireland move unilaterally with the trade restrictions. Belgium and Spain have indicated they support the Irish move, but have not stated they would be willing to act without EU backing.