EU leaders fail to sharpen stance on Israel-Hamas war

EU leaders failed to sharpen their position on the Israel-Hamas war and escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza on Friday (15 December), despite several member states advocating for a ceasefire.

After a four-hour-long summit discussion ended without new language on the Israel-Hamas war, EU leaders opted to reiterate previous declarations on Israel’s right to self-defence in line with international law, and the need for unhindered humanitarian access to Gaza.

At their previous EU summit in October, the bloc’s leaders had called on Israel and Hamas to allow humanitarian aid to flow in the closed-off Gaza Strip. The two parties later agreed to a temporary truce for a few days.

Many had expected a tougher EU stance after a majority of member states had backed a United Nations resolution earlier this week on Tuesday (12 December), calling for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire”.

Ireland and Belgium, along with Spain and Slovenia, have led EU calls for Israeli restraint and a humanitarian ceasefire to spare innocent civilian lives in Gaza.

But European Council President Charles Michel told reporters after the talks that EU leaders had simply solidified their common position and discussed the bloc’s vision for a long-term peaceful solution based on a two-state solution.

Calls for a ceasefire

In Tuesday’s vote in the United Nations General Assembly, 17 EU member states voted in favour of a humanitarian ceasefire between the two parties, to allow aid to flow into the small land strip.

French President Emmanuel Macron noted, “that almost everyone, except a few, abstained or voted alongside us in favour of the latest resolution along these lines [for a ceasefire], so we are all moving in the same direction”.

The Czech Republic and Austria, two staunch Israel supporters, had voted against it, while several others – such as Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, and Slovakia – had abstained from the vote.

“The room has changed this we last discussed in October: there is now a very clear majority in the EU for a humanitarian ceasefire, for an end of the conflict,” Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said after talks.

Earlier on Friday, he and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo clearly expressed their support for a reinforced EU call for a humanitarian ceasefire, suggesting the tide was turning in favour of their position following the UN resolution.

“The majority of EU countries are now calling for a ceasefire,” Varadkar said. “There are one or two that are not because they believe that it would prevent Israel from pursuing Hamas terrorists. I don’t agree with that interpretation.”

De Croo concurred, saying: “There needs to be a cease of the hostilities.”

“They (Israel) have the right to eliminate the terrorist threat that is originating from Gaza,” the Belgian prime minister added, “but in restraint and in respecting international humanitarian law. And I think it’s very clear, there’s been too many civilian killings. Let’s stop the civilian killings.”

Tempered wording

Steadfast supporters of Israel sought to moderate any phrasing of the final summit communiqué that could be seen as contradictory to Israel’s right to defend itself, EU diplomats said.

Ahead of Friday’s debate, EU leaders’ aides again had drafted a few options for a conclusion text to be adopted, according to two EU diplomats. There was a joint version from the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, while Germany had also put one forward.

For that reason, more hawkish EU member states were against working on a statement, one EU diplomat told Euractiv, as they knew the pressure would be high on calling for a ‘ceasefire’ rather than the ‘humanitarian pauses’ they did before.

“If we had tried, we would have been here for many many hours,” Varadkar said.

Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Europeans “are all certain that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip must be further improved, in particular through more aid deliveries for the civilian population”.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, one of the most critical voices of Israel in the bloc, said he “does not want to say anything more than Charles Michel, who represents the voice of all member states. You all know what the position of the Spanish government is.”

The EU’s chief diplomat Josep Borrell on Monday (11 December) did table to member states a statement condemning Israel’s financing of the settlers in the West Bank, Euractiv understands, however, this has not gathered much support.

A proposed list of settlers that could be sanctioned with EU visa bans will be prepared, Borrell said earlier this week, despite reluctance from Israel’s staunchest backers.

Germany, Italy and France have also called on setting up a framework to sanction the terrorist group Hamas.

[Edited by Nathalie Weatherald]

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