Israel actually depends on Europe more than on any other global actor except for the United States.<\/p>\n
Europe is Israel\u2019s largest trading partner, is central to Israeli research and innovation, is an important investment source, and is home to partner academic institutions. It is also the region from which the modern Jewish state largely emerged.<\/p>\n
Yes, there is a problem. Largely because of the Israel-Hamas War, Israel has collapsed in European public opinion.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n I recently visited Britain, Poland, the former Yugoslavia, Austria, Romania, and Germany, attending geopolitical conferences and discussions, and I can state unequivocally: Europe is shocked by the scale of the killing in recent years\u2019 wars. In Kosovo, I debated a European ambassador who told me he had once been very supportive of Israel, who said: \u201cYou are losing all of us. I will do everything I can to promote the suspension of Israel\u2019s Association Agreement with the European Union.<\/p>\n \u201cYour government is interested only in war and expansion. I know you have enemies, but you\u2019ve become almost as bad as they are. The level of brutality is simply unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n He quoted National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich at length: \u201cThey\u2019re not minor ministers, are they?\u201d<\/p>\n One can point to the crimes of jihadists, but those are already known and don\u2019t persuade people that killing tens of thousands of civilians and displacing millions is OK.<\/p>\n A recent study examining roughly 900 EU statements on Israel found that the share classified as negative rose from 29% before October 7 to 46% afterward, while the positive share fell to 8%.<\/p>\n Even governments long considered supporters are now critical.<\/p>\n French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Israel\u2019s conduct in Gaza<\/a> as \u201cunacceptable\u201d and \u201cshameful.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n British Prime Minister Keir Starmer<\/a> described restrictions on humanitarian aid as \u201ccompletely wrong.\u201d German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, leading a country traditionally viewed as Israel\u2019s closest ally on the continent, stated that some of Israel\u2019s actions \u201ccan no longer be justified.\u201d<\/p>\n Across Europe, campaigns to boycott products from Israeli settlements \u2013 whose entire situation, across the street from disenfranchised Arabs, is impossible to defend \u2013 gain momentum. Hotheaded Israeli ministers face restrictions.<\/p>\n Legal organizations seek to identify IDF soldiers traveling abroad and promote legal proceedings against them over Gaza. There have been reports of private businesses refusing service to Israelis \u2013 and sometimes to Jews.<\/p>\n Some of these developments stem from rising antisemitism, which has arisen once again in parts of Europe. But not everything can be explained this way, and it\u2019s not only about the wars.<\/p>\n Israel struggles to convince Europeans that there is no problem with maintaining a system of different rights for Jews and Palestinians (heavily in favor of Jews) in the West Bank \u2013 and this is true among Americans as well.<\/p>\n Is Israel\u2019s situation hopeless? No. What\u2019s needed is a different policy and public diplomacy strategy.<\/p>\n Things would certainly be easier if the government cracked down on Jewish terrorism, refrained from expanding settlements, and fired inflammatory ministers.<\/p>\n This would be far easier with a government that seeks constructive dialogue and pursues political solutions alongside military strength and deterrence.<\/p>\n Europe is not optional<\/p>\n Not all criticism is justified.<\/p>\n Many Europeans underestimate the threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran and apply standards to Israel that are not applied to others. That doesn\u2019t mean the criticism can be ignored and is entirely invalid.<\/p>\n Many Israelis have convinced themselves that as long as America supports their approach, Europe doesn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n As is now evident, even President Donald Trump has grown weary of the bloodshed, realizing that US public opinion is shifting. European public opinion has shifted even further, and that is serious.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/iran\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/691905.jpeg\"\/)
A EU flag and a court gavel are seen in this illustration taken September 12, 2025. (credit: REUTERS\/DADO RUVIC\/ILLUSTRATION)<\/p>\n
\u00a0
What people perceive is collective punishment, heavy-handedness, trigger-happiness, indifference to human life, and a lack of strategy. Such criticism is the polite variant, coming from friends of Israel.<\/p>\n