Europe and Israel tense over conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon

(CLO) Israel is facing harsh criticism from European leaders as the fighting in Gaza and Lebanon shows no signs of stopping.

European leaders are trying to pressure Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, an effort that has been fueled by Israeli airstrikes targeting UN peacekeeping bases in southern Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Tel Aviv on July 13. Photo: AFP

The war in Lebanon is 'going beyond the limit'

“The relationship between Israel and the EU is under unprecedented strain at the moment,” said Hugh Lovatt, senior policy fellow in the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) think tank.

He said relations between Israel and the EU had become strained because Israel's attack on Gaza was seen as "disproportionate and contrary to international law, something many European countries, including those who support Israel, recognise".

“When it comes to protecting their soldiers,” European countries tend to be more vocal, said Maya Sion-Tzidkiyahu, director of the Israel-Europe Relations Program at the Mitvim Institute in Jerusalem.

The United Nations has accused the Israeli military of opening fire on its peacekeeping mission in Lebanon multiple times in recent weeks, wounding more than a dozen people. Israel also stormed a base and disrupted a key logistics operation.

The diplomatic row between Israel and some European leaders erupted publicly this week. On October 15, French President Emmanuel Macron said: "Netanyahu must not forget that his country was founded by a decision of the United Nations," referring to UN Resolution 181, which paved the way for the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

Earlier, the French President called for a complete suspension of the sale of weapons used in the war in Gaza to Israel, stressing that France was not involved in the supply of weapons.

Responding to the French president, Netanyahu said that the creation of Israel "was not a decision of the United Nations... but a victory of our heroic fighters in the War of Independence", adding that many of those fighters "were Holocaust survivors, including those from the Vichy regime in France".

Israel has repeatedly criticized Secretary-General António Guterres and has banned him from entering Israel. European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell condemned the decision, calling allegations of anti-Semitism against Mr Guterres “slanderous”.

Suspend arms export licenses and cancel agreements

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also condemned Israel's actions in Lebanon, including an Israeli airstrike on a United Nations peacekeeping base where about 1,100 Italian troops are stationed.

“We defend Israel’s right to live in peace and security, but we reiterate that this must take place in accordance with international humanitarian law,” Meloni said on October 15.

Smoke rises from an Israeli airstrike on the village of Khiam, southern Lebanon, on October 17. Photo: AFP

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Italy is the third largest supplier of weapons to Israel, including helicopters and guns. However, after the war in Gaza broke out, Italy suspended all new export licenses and canceled all agreements signed after October 7.

Among the most vocal critics of Israel are Ireland and Spain, which have called on the EU to review its Association Agreement with Israel, saying the Jewish state is violating human rights provisions in Gaza. Last week, Mr Borrell said the issue would be discussed at the Foreign Affairs Council because there was enough evidence.

Ms Sion-Tzidkiyahu said changing the agreement would hurt Israel, especially if trade was affected. The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner, with total trade between Israel and the bloc expected to be worth $50.7 billion in 2022, according to EU data.

Earlier in May, Spain, Ireland and Norway officially recognized the State of Palestine, a move that expressed opposition to Israel's war in Gaza.

Although no longer a member of the EU, the UK has also sought to rein in Israel's behaviour, most recently by considering sanctions against far-right Israeli ministers.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on October 16 that his government was “looking at” sanctions against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Last month, the UK suspended 30 of its 350 arms export licenses to Israel over concerns that such weapons could be used in serious breaches of international humanitarian law, a decision that was criticised by Israeli officials.

Hoai Phuong (according to CNN)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/chau-au-va-israel-cang-thang-vi-xung-dot-o-gaza-va-lebanon-post317603.html