EU Can’t Pull the Plug on Israel Even as Gaza War Heats Up
Why the Big EU Nations are Playing It Safe
Last week, the European Union’s member states fell short of what’s needed to halt Israel’s share of the Horizon Europe fund amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.
Two of the EU’s heavyweight players, Germany and Italy, are opting to keep the lines of communication open rather than slam the brakes on Israel. A diplomat involved in the talks said that sticking to dialogue, not suspending funding, was the smoother route.
- Germany: Focuses on engineering and tech cooperation — they’re more about building bridges than burning them.
- Italy: Prefers a hand‑shake over a hard line, saying that talking can be more powerful than a ban.
- Next steps are still uncertain — the EU might change its stance in the coming week.
EU diplomats still stuck on cutting Israel out of Horizon Europe
On Monday, 27 EU diplomats still couldn’t pull the trigger on a partial suspension of Israel from the Horizon Europe research fund, even after the Gaza war got the entire bloc buzzing.
Why the standoff matters
- Currency & scale – The proposal would deny Israel €200 million in future grants.
- Key players – Only a few ‘big’ countries like Germany or Italy could swing the vote.
- Political fallout – An even half‑step would silence some critics and bring a symbolic slap to an ongoing crisis.
Who’s on which side?
- France, Spain & Ireland – In favour of cutting funding.
- Germany & Italy – Prefer another chat rather than a sanction.
- Romania & Finland – Still debating the wording.
“The situation has not changed,” one EU diplomat told the assembly after a virtual clash on the Mashreq/Maghreb Working Party. Despite mounting pressure on Israel’s role in the hunger lull in Gaza, the judgment came back flat‑lined.
Future steps
The decision is now in the hands of the EU’s foreign affairs ministers who will meet informally on 29 August. The official of the EU will be assured that the proposal doesn’t touch basic research or collaborative projects.
Glimpses of bigger picture
Monday’s deadlock followed a harrowing video released a day earlier. It showed two Israeli hostages from Gaza looking emaciated and distressed— a stark reminder of the human toll that has sparked outrage across Western capitals.
What the experts are saying
- Martin Konecny, the head of the European Middle East Project in Brussels, slammed the refusal to squeeze Israel for the “smallest possible pressure” while civilians keep being killed and starved. “It’s beyond incriminating,” he said.
- Some EU members even opted to single‑handedly condemn Israel with moves like France’s recognition of Palestine—a rival to the Commission’s proposal.
In short, the EU stands on the edge of a symbolic pause that could signal a broader pushback against Israel—but until the big countries jump in, the plan remains alive only in theory.