EU leaders raise the tone over attacks on blue helmets but avoid taking action against Israel

Israel’s attacks on UN blue helmets deployed in Lebanon constitute a “serious violation of international law, are totally unacceptable and must stop immediately” for EU leaders, but are not a sufficient red line to take action against Benjamin Netanyahu. The heads of government of the 27 have accused Tel Aviv for the first time of failing to comply with international legality – there had not been a consensus until now, despite the tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza -, in what represents a raising of the tone after more than a year of massacre.

“The European Council is deeply alarmed by the dramatic military escalation in the Middle East and the risk this represents for the entire region. Calls on all parties to act with maximum restraint, immediately end all hostilities and fully respect international law, including international humanitarian law,” state the conclusions of the leaders of the 27, which have been negotiated. to various bands among leaders with different sensitivities regarding Israel, such as Pedro Sánchez and Olaf Scholz.

Likewise, “reiterates Israel’s right to defend itself and the European Union’s commitment to Israel’s security and regional stability.” “All parties must respect international humanitarian law and the dangerous cycle of attacks and reprisals must end,” adds the agreed text, which condemns Iran’s attacks.

Despite condemning the attacks on the UN mission, it limits itself to “deploring the unacceptable number of civilian victims, especially women and children, in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as the catastrophic levels of hunger and the imminent risk of famine.” caused by the insufficient entry of aid into Gaza”, where he demands a ceasefire and is betting on the arrival of humanitarian aid.

However, the worsening of the situation, with the escalation that has reached Lebanon, does not entail a response in the form of sanctions against Israel. Spain and Ireland are the countries that have defended concrete measures: the review of the trade agreement with Israel. For now the matter has been ignored by the rest of the partners. However, the high representative, Josep Borrell, has forced a debate on the matter in what will be his last meeting with EU foreign ministers on November 18.

Community sources maintain, however, that “in the room Israel’s attitude is less and less acceptable.” In fact, one of the leaders asked their counterparts “to what extent” they were going to go to “say enough,” according to these sources.

“Those countries that have been most vocal in defending Israel are beginning to have serious difficulties in defending Netanyahu’s actions,” said Pedro Sánchez, who has complained to his counterparts that he has reiterated the need to review the association agreement if it is concludes that Israel has violated international law, compliance with which is one of the premises included in the pact between the two parties. One argument now may be that the 27 have already put in writing that the attacks on UNIFIL are a violation of that international law.

Another of the demands that Sánchez has made is that the EU countries proceed with the arms embargo on Israel. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently pledged to continue sending weapons to those countries, even though the Greens who are part of his coalition government had rejected it. “We have sent weapons and we will send them,” Scholz said in the Bundestag.

The other issue that Sánchez has put on the table is the recognition of the state of Palestine by the member states that have not yet done so (approximately half, including France, Germany and Italy). “It would be a way to confirm that Europe as a whole is committed to the two-state solution,” Sánchez concluded. The Government highlights that the conclusions once again include the holding of a peace conference “as soon as possible.”