Israel’s actions in Gaza are “abominable” and “unacceptable”. The two heavy criticisms come from unexpected sources: the president of the commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz. These are statements that, even if at the moment only from a verbal point of view, still mark another turning point in the tolerance of the West towards the actions of the government of Benjamin Netanyahu.
First both von der Leyen and the German chancellor (the current but also his predecessor) had always been well looked at the tone of criticism against Tel Aviv too much. But now the times of caution and measured words seem to be far away, with the number of deaths in the strip growing day by day, the complaints of war crimes committed by the Israeli forces that follow one another from many sides and the humanitarian situation in the increasingly desperate strip.
“Abominable” actions
“The expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza who target civil infrastructures, including a school that served as a refuge for displaced Palestinian families, killing civilians, including children, is abominable,” said Von der Leyen in a telephone conversation with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, according to a report of the Commission.
“The European Commission has always supported – and will continue to support – Israel’s right to security and self -defense, but this escalation and the disproportionate use of force against civilians cannot be justified by humanitarian and international law”, said the president.
Von der Leyen also asked “the Government of Israel to immediately put an end to the ongoing escalation”, and to “immediately restore” the delivery of aid “in line with the humanitarian principles, with the participation of the United Nations and other international humanitarian partners”.
Merz’s criticisms
This morning it was the German chancellor Merz who said that “the time has come to say that what is happening” in Gaza is no longer understandable. Speaking at the press conference in Helsinki with the Finnish Premier the German leader said that the current actions of Israel “are not necessary to defend their existence”.
“Israel is raison d’etre for Germany”, Merz recalled, and Berlin “condemns Hamas’ attack and the taking of the hostages,” but this is not in contradiction by saying that we are more than worried “by the situation in Gaza and we are” upset by the frightening suffering of the civilian population “.
The turning point
These are only statements, but which still give the sign of a possible turning point that could lead to more concrete actions. So far, in fact, the European Union has completely left free hand to Israel, without ever doing anything to try to convince Tel Aviv to protect the life of Palestinian civilians more. Only some countries such as Ireland and Spain immediately asked to exercise greater pressure, then followed by other governments such as the French one.
But Germany, who for historical reasons has difficulty criticizing Israel, had always been firmly on the side of Tel Aviv, often repeating the mantra of the Netanyahu government that civil deaths would be only the fault of the fact that Hamas would use human shields.
But with the strip now practically razed to the ground, and the number of ascertained deaths that exceeded 54 thousand people, mostly civilians, women and children, this position seems to have become unsustainable even for some of the closest allies of Israel, with the exception of the United States of Donald Trump and the Hungary of Viktor Orban.
The review of the Association Agreement
The Commission has recently announced a review of the commercial agreement with Israel, under pressure from 17 Member States (and the opposition of Italy by Giorgia Meloni). However, the revision does not mean the suspension, but only an evaluation by the Community executive whether Israel’s violations of human rights are underway.
If these were ascertained, one could move on to a request for suspension, which however should be approved by the twenty -seven. The agreement in its suit can only be suspended with the unanimous green light among the 27 Member States, which is rather unlikely, but the key provisions, including the trade and participation of Israel in the European Horizon research financing program, can be frozen on the basis of a weighted majority vote.
