EU Divisions Deepen as Public Criticism of Israel Grows

European governments remain divided over how to respond to Israel's actions in Gaza and the West Bank, despite growing public opposition to the Israeli government across the continent. A meeting of European Union foreign ministers is expected to expose differences among the bloc's 27 members as ministers discuss regional conflicts, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and upcoming elections in Israel and Palestine.

The diplomatic impasse follows Britain's announcement of sweeping trade sanctions against illegal Israeli settlements and its condemnation of what it described as ethnic cleansing by state-backed settler terrorists in the West Bank. France and Canada have also pledged to ban goods from illegal settlements and sanction those who facilitate or profit from them, but broader European action has yet to materialize.

A survey covering 10 European countries, including Spain, France and Sweden, found that large majorities held negative views of Israel, according to the Pew Research Center. Public opinion had deteriorated compared with the previous year, amid the US-Israeli war on Iran and its wider regional and economic consequences.

In Poland, unfavorable views of Israel rose eight percentage points to 70%. Italy recorded a nine-point increase to 75%, while Germany saw a nine-point rise to 73%, according to the survey.

Israel has also faced opposition over its participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Five countries boycotted the competition this year after organizers declined to exclude Israel over its conduct in Gaza and increasing violence in the West Bank. Organizers subsequently decided that broadcasters would no longer be eligible to host the contest if their country was involved in an armed conflict or a sensitive geopolitical situation.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains severe. More than 74,000 people, including at least 21,200 children, have been killed since Israel launched its war in response to the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023, according to the figures cited in the source report. The attack killed 1,209 people, including 36 children, and resulted in 251 hostages being taken.

Despite a ceasefire declared a year ago, Israeli airstrikes have continued. The reported Palestinian death toll includes 1,400 people killed since the ceasefire was announced, while residents face shortages of water, nutritious food, medical equipment and medicines, alongside disease, unemployment and economic collapse.

EU ministers are expected to focus primarily on conflicts involving Iran and Yemen while also addressing Gaza and the West Bank. The discussions come ahead of Israeli elections scheduled for October 27 and the first Palestinian legislative elections in 20 years, expected by late November.

Spain and Ireland have led calls to review whether Israel's conduct during the Gaza war violates the human rights requirements of its association agreement with the EU. The agreement covers a trade relationship worth €68 billion, as well as cooperation in research, the environment and energy.

Germany and Austria remain close allies of Israel for historical reasons, while Czechia and Italy are ideologically aligned with Benjamin Netanyahu's administration. France and the Netherlands have become increasingly critical of the Israeli government's conduct in Gaza and its plans for the E1 settlement, which threaten the viability of a two-state solution.

International legal experts have also welcomed recognition of Navi Pillay, a former chair of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory. South African judge Dire Tladi, who serves alongside Pillay at the International Court of Justice, praised her decades of work in international justice.

"I am extremely pleased for Navi and very proud of her. This is absolutely well deserved for a lifetime dedicated to making the world a better place. As a South African currently serving with Navi in Gambia v Myanmar where she serves as ad hoc judge, I feel particularly privileged and proud." said Dire Tladi, a judge at the International Court of Justice.

Human rights lawyer Yasmin Sooka also congratulated Pillay, highlighting her contributions to international criminal justice, human rights and accountability. Sooka has served on South Africa's and Sierra Leone's Truth and Reconciliation Commissions.

"I congratulate our beloved Navi Pillay on her richly deserved Nobel Peace Prize. She follows in the footsteps of Chief Albert Luthuli and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, carrying forward South Africa’s proud tradition of linking peace with justice and human dignity. From defending apartheid’s most vulnerable to her pioneering role in the Akayesu judgment, she has transformed international justice.

That judgment helped establish rape and sexual violence as weapons of war—a historic breakthrough that placed survivors’ experiences at the heart of international justice. At the ICC, as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and leading the inquiry that found Israel responsible for genocide in Gaza, she has brought unwavering integrity and courage to holding power accountable. For those of us who have benefited from her leadership and commitment to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law, she has been a generous mentor and trusted adviser.

I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this extraordinary honour." said Yasmin Sooka, a human rights lawyer and commissioner on both South Africa's and Sierra Leone's Truth and Reconciliation Commissions.

Jørgen Watne Frydnes, representing the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said the recognition came as international legal institutions faced growing pressure and attacks. He described the award as a reminder of the importance of legal frameworks in maintaining peace and resolving conflicts without violence.

"The system of international law is under tremendous pressure, and its institutions are under attack." said Jørgen Watne Frydnes of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

Frydnes said the committee intended to emphasize the importance of the rule of law in international relations and peaceful coexistence.

"We see a shift towards power politics at the expense of legal frameworks and global respects for law and justice. Whenever might overtakes right, it undermines stability, trust and peaceful coexistence. In awarding this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wants to remind the world that the rule of law, national and international, underpins the system we have set up to ensure peace and resolve conflicts non-violently.

Peace requires justice. History has shown that a world operating without the rule of law is unjust, unwise and inhumane." said Jørgen Watne Frydnes of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.