European nations are increasingly vocal in their condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza, with many officials even using the term “genocide.” This week, at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, they are poised to collectively advocate for the recognition of Palestine as a state. Yet, this surge of strong declarations has not translated into significant, unified action.
The European Union has floated the idea of imposing higher tariffs on Israeli goods, but the future of this proposal is uncertain. Other attempts to penalize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government have faced considerable roadblocks, particularly due to opposition from Germany.
Individual European countries, too, have seen their actions fall short of their strong words. Efforts to deliver aid to Gaza have been minimal, even as the territory faces widespread starvation. Furthermore, only a small number of asylum seekers from Gaza have been accepted by these nations, as immigration remains a sensitive domestic political issue.
Belgium stands out with the highest number of Palestinian asylum applicants in Europe, likely due to its more open immigration policies and a substantial existing Palestinian community. However, even in Belgium, the asylum process is challenging. Many applications have been rejected this year. While Belgium has facilitated the evacuation of its own citizens and their family members from Gaza, the country closed its evacuation list, which included approximately 500 people, back in April.
Bahjat Madi, a 34-year-old resident of Belgium since 2024, originally from Rafah in southern Gaza, is experiencing the devastating consequences firsthand. His father remains trapped in Gaza, desperately trying to leave.
“I want to do anything for my father to be alive,” Mr. Madi shared, explaining that he is pursuing legal action to have his father’s visa application processed remotely.
His father needs a humanitarian visa but is mandated to apply in person at the consulate in Jerusalem, a requirement that is virtually impossible for someone trapped in Gaza. Even if he secures the visa, being added to an evacuation list could take years. It’s a slim chance.
“I want to talk to myself at night and say, ‘I did my best,’” Mr. Madi expressed. “But it’s not enough.”
For global leaders, the crucial question remains: will Europe transform its verbal condemnation and expressions of concern into concrete, impactful actions? Public sentiment across Europe has largely turned against Israel’s conduct of the war. However, deep-seated alliances and complex historical ties have prevented key nations like Germany and Italy from fully endorsing significant measures.
Kristina Kausch, deputy managing director for the German Marshall Fund South, an international relations think tank, noted, “I haven’t seen any moment where such international momentum has built up in such a short time, so I think there’s a real opening. But we will have to see what tangible commitments come, beyond the wording.”
She emphasized, “This is not only about Palestinians. This is about whether the West, and Europe, can uphold international law and uphold multilateralism.”
Last week, Luxembourg announced its intention to join Belgium, Britain, and numerous other nations in recognizing a Palestinian state at the UN meeting in New York. This initiative, spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron, aims to intensify pressure on Israel. Adding to the gravity, a United Nations commission investigating the Gaza conflict stated last Tuesday that Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians, a claim Israel vehemently rejects as “distorted and false,” but which is expected to feature prominently at the UN assembly.
Some European countries have implemented more tangible actions. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently committed to a permanent ban on weapons and ammunition sales to Israel, following the cancellation of a 700 million euro ($825 million) contract for rocket launchers. Belgium also revealed plans to prohibit imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
However, these individual initiatives have done little to alter the course of the conflict. Other potential measures, such as facilitating the escape of people from the region, face even greater political hurdles.
Concerns about accepting large numbers of displaced Palestinians are rooted in the significant influx of Syrian refugees in 2015, which contributed to the rise of far-right political movements in Germany and elsewhere. This caution has left many Gazans stranded or in uncertain situations in neighboring countries like Egypt.
Nations often argue that their individual capacity is limited, advocating instead for the European Union, with its considerable economic and diplomatic influence, to take a lead. The bloc collectively serves as Israel’s largest trading partner, accounting for 32 percent of its total goods trade in 2024.
“It is really an emergency for Europe to take action,” Belgian foreign minister Maxime Prévot stated in a recent interview. “Many, in public opinion, do not understand why Europe is so timid.”
Despite this sentiment, bloc-wide efforts have struggled to gain traction.
Earlier this year, a review by the European Union’s diplomatic branch of its treaty governing relations with Israel indicated that Israel had violated its human rights obligations under the agreement.
Following these findings, the European Commission, the EU’s executive body, proposed preventing Israel from participating in Horizon Europe, a research-funding program. Yet, even this measure failed to secure sufficient backing among member states.
Over 200 former EU ambassadors and diplomatic staff members wrote to European Union leaders last month, expressing their “profound disappointment” at the bloc’s inability to effectively pressure Israel.
Now, the commission is pursuing its most significant action yet: an attempt to suspend a portion of the bloc’s trade agreement with Israel. This move would eliminate preferential treatment for billions of euros worth of trade.
“What is happening in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world,” Ursula von der Leyen, president of the commission, declared in a recent speech.
This proposal sends a clear message of condemnation for Israel’s actions. Analysts suggest that because it requires a large majority—though not unanimity—it could potentially become policy.
However, its passage remains far from assured.
Germany, in particular, has been hesitant to openly criticize Israel due to its historical ties and the shadow of the Holocaust. Italy has also shown reluctance.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany cautioned last week that criticism of Israel was “increasingly a pretext under which the poison of antisemitism is spread.” On Thursday, Mr. Merz indicated that his government would decide by early next month whether to support the European Union’s proposed sanctions against Israel.
Kaja Kallas, the bloc’s chief diplomat, suggested on Wednesday that reaching a consensus might continue to be a challenge.
“The political lines are very much in the place where they have been so far,” Ms. Kallas concluded.