From support to scrutiny: Gaza catastrophe sparks EU shift

Shafaq News

27-05-2025

Shafaq News/ Europe's stance on the war in Gaza is undergoing a major transformation. What began as firm support for Israel has shifted into growing demands for an immediate ceasefire, as the humanitarian catastrophe worsens and civilian casualties climb at an alarming pace.
The war erupted on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a sudden and deadly assault on southern Israel, killing 1,139 people and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel's response was swift and overwhelming, unleashing a wide-scale military campaign across the Gaza Strip.
In the months since the toll has been staggering. According to Gaza's Health Ministry, more than 53,939 Palestinians have been killed and over 122,000 injured. Airstrikes have flattened entire neighborhoods, and critical infrastructure has been devastated. Hospitals, schools, and refugee shelters have been repeatedly targeted, leaving much of Gaza in ruins.
The press has suffered heavy losses as well. The Committee to Protect Journalists has recorded over 130 journalists killed since the start of the war, most of them Palestinian. Among the latest casualties is Hassan Abu Warda, whose death brings the number of journalists killed in Gaza to 220.
The humanitarian picture is just as bleak. The United Nations and several aid organizations warn that Gaza is teetering on the brink of famine. Only 4.6% of the territory's farmland remains usable. More than 14,000 infants are now at risk of starvation. The World Health Organization has described the collapse of the healthcare system as 'catastrophic.'
These grim realities have forced a dramatic shift in Europe's response. What was once defined by political caution and unwavering alignment with Israel has entered a new phase—one characterized by sharper language, diplomatic recalibration, and policy moves that would have seemed unthinkable just months ago.
Recognition Momentum
French President Emmanuel Macron has positioned himself at the forefront of Europe's evolving response to the war in Gaza, calling the situation a 'humanitarian catastrophe' and urging an 'immediate ceasefire.' But beyond rhetoric, Macron is moving toward a landmark shift in policy. He announced that France will formally recognize the State of Palestine by June 2025. 'We must move toward recognition, and so, in the coming months, we will move toward that,' he declared, framing the move as part of a broader diplomatic strategy.
Macron envisions a dual-track approach, pushing for international recognition of Palestine while also encouraging Arab nations to acknowledge Israel, offering what he described as a 'balanced' path toward peace.
That balance, however, is being tested across Europe, where traditional alliances are giving way to new pressures. In Berlin, discomfort is growing louder. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, long cautious in her language, directly challenged the humanitarian blockade, insisting that 'humanitarian access must be guaranteed at all times.'
Chancellor Friedrich Merz went further, denouncing Israeli airstrikes that targeted civilians as 'unjustifiable.' Though Germany has yet to take concrete steps toward recognizing Palestinian statehood, the rhetorical shift is unmistakable—a signal that even Europe's most loyal backers of Israel are beginning to reassess their positions.
London, meanwhile, has already taken a decisive step away from its previous posture. Prime Minister Keir Starmer halted free trade negotiations with Israel and imposed sanctions on extremist settlers in the West Bank. Calling Israeli policies 'cruel and indefensible,' Starmer drew a sharp moral line. Foreign Secretary David Lammy later confirmed that Britain is now engaged in high-level talks with France and Saudi Arabia on the prospect of recognizing Palestine.
Further south, Spain is pushing for an even broader response. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has urged the European Union to 'act decisively to stop the war,' advocating for a comprehensive reassessment of all EU agreements with Israel. He is also calling for bloc-wide sanctions.
Spain's support for Palestinian rights is neither new nor symbolic. In 1979, Madrid broke precedent by hosting PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat, becoming the first Western European country to do so. That legacy continued in May 2024, when Spain formally recognized the State of Palestine, alongside Ireland and Norway.
Ireland's stance is rooted in something deeper than policy: a national ethos shaped by its own historical experience with occupation and resistance. Dublin first endorsed Palestinian statehood in 1980, becoming the earliest EU member to do so. That commitment was reaffirmed in May 2024, when Ireland granted official recognition to the State of Palestine, a move widely embraced by the Irish public as a moral necessity rather than a diplomatic gesture.
Across the continent, momentum is steadily building. Malta has announced its intention to recognize Palestine, stating that "the circumstances are right," while Slovenia has voiced similar readiness. Sweden and Norway—longstanding champions of human rights—are now urging the international community to take a firmer stand. Both governments have called for targeted sanctions on Israel in response to the escalating crisis in Gaza, signaling a shift from moral concern to concrete political action.
Even inside EU institutions, the tone is shifting. Foreign ministers have launched a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, with a particular focus on human rights violations. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed the urgency of the moment, renewing calls for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. 'The only solution remains a negotiated two-state outcome,' she stated, reaffirming Brussels' alignment with international law—and perhaps acknowledging a reality that is becoming harder to ignore.
Cracks are widening internally as well. More than 2,000 EU officials have signed an open letter condemning the bloc's initial response as insufficient and demanding an immediate end to arms exports to Israel. Their message is stark: policy must catch up with principle.
Yet while the diplomatic front evolves, the ground reality in Gaza grows increasingly grim. Israeli military media quoted sources claiming that 75% of the territory will be under their control 'within two months.' The bombardment shows no sign of slowing. Humanitarian conditions are deteriorating rapidly. And as European capitals engage in backroom diplomacy and public positioning, the people of Gaza face a catastrophe unfolding in real time—one that diplomacy may be struggling to catch up with.
Economic Ties Under Review
The economic relationship between the European Union and Israel has long been extensive and deeply interwoven. In 2023, trade between the two reached €46.7 billion (roughly $50.7 billion), with EU exports to Israel totaling €29.2 billion and imports amounting to €17.5 billion—a surplus that favored Europe. But the outbreak of war in Gaza in October 2023 has begun to unsettle this foundation.
By the end of that year, the impact was evident. Israeli exports to Europe dropped by nearly 10%, while European imports declined by almost 13%. Yet the implications go beyond economics.
Across Europe, the conflict has reignited debate over the ethics of continued trade with Israel. In Ireland, lawmakers have introduced legislation to ban imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Although the volume of such trade is relatively limited, the political message is significant: a growing push to align EU trade policy with international law and human rights commitments.
That sentiment is gaining ground elsewhere. Spain and Ireland are spearheading efforts to revisit the EU-Israel Association Agreement, particularly its human rights clause. Both governments have called on Brussels to consider suspending the accord in light of Israel's ongoing military campaign in Gaza. The initiative reflects rising discomfort within the EU and a willingness to leverage economic tools to signal disapproval and drive accountability.
Attention has also turned to the EU's funding of Israeli research and innovation. Since October 7, Europe has allocated more than €238 million (about $250 million) to support Israeli R&D programs. While these funds are intended for civilian technologies, critics warn they may be indirectly supporting sectors tied to defense. This has fueled calls for increased scrutiny—or even a temporary freeze—to ensure that EU resources uphold the bloc's principles of peace, human rights, and humanitarian responsibility.
The war in Gaza has thus revealed more than just a political dilemma—it has brought the EU's economic engagement with Israel into the spotlight. With the humanitarian toll rising and political pressure increasing, Europe is now facing a deeper reckoning—not merely over the cost of inaction, but over the ethics of maintaining business ties that no longer align with its values. What lies ahead may not be simply a policy adjustment, but a potential redefinition of the EU's long-standing economic relationship with Israel.