SNAPSHOTS

Israel-Hamas War Highlights Divisions Among EU Member States

Oct 31, 2023 | 14:05 GMT

Israeli and EU Flags
Israeli and EU Flags

(Oleksii Liskonih/iStock)

The lack of a unified EU response to the war in Gaza has highlighted divisions among member states' foreign policies, which will complicate the bloc's plans to play a meaningful role in the conflict and may further complicate efforts to maintain unity in support for Ukraine. On Oct. 26-27, leaders from the European Union countries met in Brussels for a two-day summit that focused on the Israel-Hamas conflict and the bloc's continued support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, as well as migration, external relations and a proposed increase to the bloc's long-term budget. At the end of the first day, EU member states issued a joint call for "pauses for humanitarian needs" in the Gaza Strip. EU diplomats spent days debating the exact phrasing of the final text amid divisions among member states on whether to emphasize Israel's right to self-defense against Hamas or stressing the need to...

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