Brussels, my love? War in Gaza - what's Netanyahu's endgame?

Published on 31/05/2025 - 7:00 GMT+2

In nan Middle East, we’ve travel to a turning point. Many of Israel’s remaining friends person surgery publically pinch Benjamin Netanyahu’s authorities for its relentless pummelling of Gaza and freezing of desperately needed humanitarian aid.

In a highly different move, Canada, France and nan UK threatened Israel pinch consequences. And moreover Donald Trump seems to tally retired of patience. Will Netanyahu listen? What leverage does nan world organization person connected Israel? And connected Hamas?

Questions to this week's panel: James Moran, subordinate elder investigation chap astatine nan Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), Kathleen Van Brempt, personnel of nan European Parliament from nan Belgian Social Democrats and Jacob Reynolds, caput of argumentation astatine Hungarian deliberation vessel MCC Brussels.

International unit has been mounting connected Israel complete nan past respective days complete its strategy successful Gaza. The European Union said it will reappraisal its wide-ranging waste and acquisition and practice pact pinch Israel complete what Brussels sees arsenic a catastrophic business successful Gaza .

And moreover Germany, usually a staunch Israeli ally, voiced beardown criticism, signalling that Berlin is unwilling to go isolated successful nan EU complete Israel.

It doesn't look for illustration Netanyahu is consenting to alteration anything. Israel launched a caller subject violative into nan enclave amid nan reports that Israel's subject plans to power 75% of Gaza wrong nan adjacent 2 months.

Should Europe push (again) for a two-state solution?

Behind nan guiltless acronym SAFE lies a risky gamble, a continental ambition, and possibly nan opening of an assertive subject divorcement from Washington. SAFE stands for “Security Action for Europe”, an unprecedented 150 billion-euro scheme to revolutionize nan Old Continent's defence capabilities.

A benignant of Marshall Plan for nan 21st century, but pinch support nary longer coming from nan United States. The EU Commission projected SAFE done a legislative instrumentality that allows it to bypass a ballot by nan Parliament. And this is nan problem.

Was this a smart move? The president of nan European Parliament threatened to writer nan Commission complete this scheme - are we moving into a law situation here?

Finally, participants discussed nan latest conflict betwixt Brussels and Hungary.

The European Commission is mounting nan shape for an all-out  confrontation pinch Budapest. Brussels has demanded that Budapest retreat its arguable draught rule aimed astatine limiting overseas backing of media organizations and NGOs.

If nan rule were to travel into force, it would springiness nan authorities far-reaching powers to ace down connected nan property and captious voices successful society. The EU Commission sees this arsenic a superior usurpation of European principles and laws.

Some members of nan European Parliament from 5 different groups are urging nan Commission to instantly frost each EU backing to Hungary. Is this nan correct guidance and would it moreover beryllium legally possible?

What is nan extremity crippled here? Can Hungary past arsenic a personnel of nan European Union?