The European Union's inaction in the face of Israeli actions

 An important deadline is approaching in Israel: alongside the elections, the Tel Aviv government is expected to award contracts for the construction of the "E1" settlement in the central West Bank. The clear aim is to sever Palestinian territorial contiguity and definitively derail the two-state solution. The E1 settlement is clearly illegal under international law and entails the construction of 3,400 housing units on land belonging to Bedouin villages. The Jewish state’s intention to render unfeasible the only means of definitively resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is evident; when one considers the stalling tactics Netanyahu employed in years past—when an agreement seemed possible—his behavior now takes on a different complexion, revealing a distinct agenda: the one currently taking shape. Despite condemnations issued individually and uncoordinatedly by various nations—including Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada—what has been lacking is high-level coordinated action, specifically action led by the European Union on behalf of its member states. Under the treaties signed by its members, Brussels has an institutional obligation to act against violations of international law. Despite repeated appeals from senior EU figures, action remains stalled; the primary responsibility lies with two states—Germany and Italy—whose obstructionism prevents joint action, thereby undermining the very European values ​​that these two countries helped found. Berlin persists in the hypocritical decision not to take a stand against Israel—driven by the legacy of the Shoah—thereby enabling Tel Aviv to pursue its project of Palestinian genocide; for Italy, conversely, it is a matter of expediency, avoiding opposition to Trump, the Jewish state’s staunchest supporter and enabler of its atrocities. Meanwhile, Israeli violence continues unabated: the situation in Gaza is dire, with the death toll among Palestinians reaching 1,400 since the ceasefire of October 11, 2025—concrete proof that Israel never ceased its violence. Furthermore, the total number of victims in Gaza stands at 74,000 people slaughtered—often using methods banned by international conventions—a toll compounded by restrictions imposed by Tel Aviv, including blockades on food, medical supplies, and even drinking water services; these conditions have created sanitary crises that appear to serve as additional instruments of mass extermination. The situation in the West Bank is no better; over the past three years, violent acts by settlers—often backed by the regular Israeli army—have resulted in 1,200 deaths, involving increasingly violent raids on Palestinian properties. Israel supports these actions in defiance of the International Court of Justice’s ruling. Despite this clear evidence, the European Union has so far missed the opportunity to adequately sanction Israel—specifically by curbing settler violence and halting the construction of the E1 settlement—through measures such as banning trade with illegal settlements and sanctioning the financial institutions and service providers that facilitate their construction. The meeting of the European Union’s 27 foreign ministers on October 12th must serve as an opportunity to restore dignity to the EU and to attempt to play the leading role on the international stage that befits it; it is time to take concrete action to protect the civilian population—not only in Gaza and the West Bank—and to demonstrate a commitment to the institutional principles that should define Brussels.