The Israel-Palestinian conflict has revealed much about how the EU often struggles to reconcile 27 very different attitudes to the whole ordeal.
At 2.45pm on Monday 9 October, the EU's Hungarian Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi announced that all EU payments to the Palestinians would be"immediately suspended".
For other countries, especially those with large Arabic or Muslim populations, or those with left-leaning governments, there is greater sympathy for the Palestinian cause. President von der Leyen, due to address a political gathering in Bordeaux, issued the"strongest possible" condemnation as reports filtered through.
The next day, Israel’s iNews24, quoting diplomatic sources, reported that Mr Borrell’s statement had been watered down. Mr Michel, who represents the 27 EU leaders, said the EU condemned Hamas’"terrorist violence" and spoke of the urgent need for de-escalation. It was at odds with the EU’s carefully crafted response and was coming on the eve of a hastily arranged videoconference of EU foreign ministers.Journalists on the Commission’s WhatsApp press group were furiously looking for answers.
Ten minutes later, the EU commissioner for humanitarian aid Janez Lenarčič weighed in, flatly contradicting his Hungarian counterpart. While I most strongly condemn the terrorist atack by #Hamas, it is imperative to protect civilians and respect IHL.— Janez Lenarčič October 9, 2023 Irish officials continued to contact the Commission into Monday evening, but there was still no clarity.
"It’s very clear that the EU does not fund Hamas or any other terrorist organization activities, either directly or indirectly," development aid spokesperson Ana Pisonero had told reporters at midday. The Commission hastily said there was a difference between humanitarian aid - which would continue to flow regardless - and development aid, which would be subject to a review. Mr Várhelyi was essentially being charged with disregarding both the process and substance of how the EU comports its Middle East policy. That was why, just as the Commission appeared to have extinguished the fire around the Várhelyi tweets, President von der Leyen's trip drew so much heat.
Mr Várhelyi was essentially being charged with disregarding both the process and substance of how the EU comports its Middle East policy. She told them the trip would be to express solidarity with Israel, call for the release of hostages, encourage a humanitarian response and provide aid corridors for the people of Gaza.However, according to an official, there was a conscious decision that Ms Metsola should not meet the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"International law and international humanitarian law must be respected. Basic supplies must reach the most vulnerable." After meeting Mr Netanyahu - without Ms Metsola - Ms Von der Leyen delivered a harrowing portrait of what she had witnessed at Kfar Azza."The blood of people killed in their sleep. The stories of innocents burned alive or slaughtered in their homes.
She said Hamas alone was responsible, and their actions had nothing to do with the"legitimate aspirations" of the Palestinian people and was only bringing more suffering upon them.It was this statement which raised eyebrows further. While few would deny the horrors she had witnessed at the Kibbutz, Ms Von der Leyen did not publicly and unequivocally call on Israel to respond within the constraints of international law.
"It got so messy about something so sensitive and divisive within societies in EU member states," says one EU diplomat,"that by the weekend EU leaders informally came together with the notion of issuing a joint statement, to calm the waters, to bring things back into a workable, balanced framework, that, while it acknowledges Israel's right to defend itself against Hamas and acknowledges the horrors of that attack, it frames that within the context of international...
Israel’s right to defend itself had to be"in line with humanitarian and international law. We reiterate the importance the protection of all civilians at all times in line with International Humanitarian Law," it said.There was a slight shift towards the capitals’ position, but it remained nuanced, with no implied criticism of Israel’s response."Israel has the right to defend itself. At the same time civilians in Gaza are also victims of Hamas.
The Middle East was different. EU leaders were extremely sensitive to the restive pro-Palestinian communities within their societies and the need to stick to carefully elaborated policy lines. One source said the death toll in Israel in a single day, 1,400, would have been the equivalent of 65,000 Europeans.
However, an Irish Government source observed that since Ms von der Leyen was on the call, direct criticism from leaders would be unlikely. Indeed, part of the problem is that Europe currently has three prominent personalities – Ms Von der Leyen, Council President Mr Michel and High Representative Mr Borrell - all from different member states and political families and each keen to project Europe’s role in person.The system which has created this triumvirate evolved through the Maastricht and later Lisbon Treaties.
"On the other hand, countries such as Ireland, because of their own history, and west-European governments led by left-leaning majorities tend to be more supportive of the Palestinian movement and promptly rejected the proposals to cut EU funding," said the report. It was set up in 2015 to fund vulnerable Palestinian communities in the West Bank, where hundreds of families had been, or were facing, forcible expulsion by the Israeli authorities and settlers, and to tackle Israel over the demolition of schools and buildings funded by the EU.
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