Israel Election Won't Repair Europe's Fraying Ties — SkimNews
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- European governments have escalated measures against Israel since Gaza's destruction killed at least 74,000 Palestinians, with countries withdrawing from Eurovision, footballers refusing to play Israeli teams, and Britain banning goods from illegal settlements while accusing settlers of ethnic cleansing.
- Ireland and Spain led criticism at the recent UN General Assembly, with Prime Minister Micheal Martin declaring Israel's actions "will shame the world" and Pedro Sanchez "condemning unequivocally the genocide that Netanyahu continues to perpetrate in Gaza."
- Pew Research polling showed unfavorable views of Israel surged in three European countries: the UK rose from 61% to 69%, Italy from 66% to 75%, and Germany — one of Israel's strongest allies — from 64% to 73% between spring 2025 and spring this year.
- Israel's October 27 election is too close to call, and even Netanyahu's main challenger Gadi Eisenkot has opposed Palestinian statehood, leading analysts to conclude that replacing Netanyahu would not break with the policies driving European criticism.
- Israeli public opinion has hardened: a Mitvim Institute survey found 67% of Israelis regard the EU as an adversary versus 14% as a friend, while a September poll showed 72% of Jewish Israelis would not accept withdrawal to Gaza's border without retaining an Israeli security perimeter inside the territory.
- Israel's election debate has focused on security rather than international standing, which Yaakov Katz wrote is "barely discussed," even as 92% of Jewish Israelis rated the military's management of the Iran war highly and 80% backed continued fighting against Hezbollah.
- Settlers attacked European diplomats from Belgium, France, and Poland visiting Palestinian olive harvesters near Taybeh in the occupied West Bank, drawing widespread international condemnation alongside a separate attack on a US journalist north of Ramallah.
Why it matters: With the election too close to call and analysts across Chatham House, the University of Edinburgh, and Bar-Ilan University warning that even Netanyahu's centrist rival opposes Palestinian statehood, the European demands for statehood recognition and an end to occupation likely go unmet regardless of who wins — leaving the diplomatic breach on a path analysts describe as potentially irreversible.
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