Ending Europe’s Inertia on Israel and Palestine

Summary:

The outbreak of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in May 2021 was the worst flare-up since 2014. However, once a cease-fire was in place, Israel and Palestine rapidly faded from Europe’s foreign policy agenda. Israel and the Palestinian leadership both created a false sense of ‘quiet’, a sense that the conflict was being managed, so Europeans did not see it as a serious risk to their security. The latest episode of violence is the result of Israel’s suppression of Palestinians’ fundamental rights and freedoms in both Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. Rocket fire from Gaza, while illegal and unacceptable, cannot be divorced from the broader political context of the conflict, and neither can international efforts to address the violence. De-escalation and a return to the status quo ante will not prevent future outbreaks. It is the status quo – and the international community’s toleration of it – that generates violence.

• Primary Source

• Alternative Source

Official

European Council: Special Meeting 24-25 May 2021 https://www.europeansources.info/record/special-meeting-of-the-european-council-24-25-may-2021/

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ESO Records

CER Policy Brief: Feb 2020: Can Europe Overcome Its Paralysis on Israel and Palestine? https://www.europeansources.info/record/can-europe-overcome-its-paralysis-on-israel-and-palestine/

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