Europe's pathetic defiance of Israel

Israeli settlers attack Palestinian olive farmer in the West Bank (Source: here) 

On 8 September 2026, eleven European nations plus Canada announced restrictions on trade in goods with illegal Israeli settlers in the West Bank. They include the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden. Three other European countries - Belgium, the Netherlands, and Slovenia - began to impose similar restrictions some time ago.  

The sudden European defiance of Israel has raised eyebrows. After all, didn't we just witness an Israeli genocide in Gaza that killed some 70,000 people during which many of these very same European countries happily continued to supply weapons to Israel? What, then, should we read into this apparent volte-face? Has Europe finally grown a backbone as far as Israel is concerned?

If all you ever read are public statements by European leaders, then you might draw that conclusion. After all, in the last few days one European leader after another has publicly bemoaned the Israeli government's recent tender offer for 1,200 new illegal settlements in the West Bank. Many have also expressed concern about the surge in settler violence against Palestinians, often with explicit IDF support.

If you dig a bit deeper, you may even sense frustration in some quarters that the European Union (EU) has been unable to act on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling of July of 2024, which says that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory is “unlawful”. The ICJ ruling was followed by a United Nations resolution, which called for an end to Israeli occupation within a year.

Yet, no European action was taken. Reason: Italy and Germany continue to block all EU-level measures against Israel. This, Europe's other leaders now say is why they have finally decided to 'go it alone', i.e. to act without Italy and Germany.

Granted, there is nothing wrong with the rhetoric, but I, for one, do not believe these reasons for Europe’s sudden tougher stance on Israel. I don’t even think Europe’s stance amounts to much more than a triviality.

Europe has not suddenly decided to stand up to Israel in any meaningful way. Europe has not suddenly become a champion of international law. Or Palestinian rights, for that matter. The truth is far more pathetic and sordid; Europe is motivated by its paranoia about immigration.

When the Israeli government decided to approve new settlements in the West Bank, it suddenly dawned on many European leaders that Israel might actually go ahead and implement full-on Israeli Lebensraum across the occupied territories, notably Gaza, the West Bank, and, eventually, East Jerusalem. Polls show that there is strong and growing backing for such a policy among Israelis and after Gaza everything seems possible, especially with a very supportive Trump in the White House.

To European politians, it would be a disaster if some 5.5 million Palestinians refugees were to wash up on Europe's shores. Europe's aims in threatening to restrict trade with the illegal Israeli settlers in the West Bank are therefore strictly defensive. Europe has no intention whatsoever of jeopardising trade, the arms business, or diplomatic ties with Israel. Nor does Europe care one bit about the Palestinians. Europe is deliberately being very specific in only targeting illegal settlers, because it hopes to deter the most extremist Zionists without placing core relations with Israel in jeopardy.

In short, this is not a meaningful change in European policy towards Israel. The illegal settlements will continue, because Israel will continue to provide the finance, military support, and logistical assistance that make them possible in the first place. And as the settlements expand, the crimes against the Palestinians will get worse until, one day, the large-scale Palestinian refugee crisis, which Europeans fear so much, becomes a reality.

The End