The past 19 months have seen the worst escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian century-long conflict.
For decades, Europe largely deferred to the United States on peace efforts — from negotiating a long-term Two State Solution to mediating immediate hostage releases in exchange for a cease-fire. But that era seems to be ending. Today, some EU leaders are stepping forward to fill the vacuum, as Washington's influence wanes.
Last week, over 60 Israeli and Palestinian peace organisations gathered in Jerusalem for a People's Peace Conference.
The atmosphere at the packed International Conference Centre was tense yet hopeful. More than 100 diplomats attended, including 40 ambassadors from every continent — Europe being the most represented. This gathering felt like a turning point.
Recorded messages were shared by High Representative Kaja Kallas, President Emmanuel Macron, and President Mahmoud Abbas. Their words were not merely symbolic: they outlined political intent. Kallas, responding to proposed Israeli legislation weakening its civil society (by taxing foreign funding at 80%), announced €18 million in new EU support for Israeli peace organisations.
President Macron, meanwhile, is moving ahead with a Franco-Saudi peace initiative, imposing a Two State Solution — even without Israeli participation. He also declared France’s readiness to recognise a Palestinian state already next month.
At the same conference, in a panel of ambassadors to Israel from the EU, France, the Netherlands, and Germany, the French ambassador described French diplomacy, supporting Macron’s initiative, as "a boat in full steam."
Germany’s ambassador, sitting beside him, called for a Franco-German double-engine to drive it forward. He assured his French peer that the new German government is very supportive and would help push it forward.
The Dutch ambassador echoed her foreign minister’s recent call for the EU to assess Israel’s compliance with the EU-Israel Association Agreement in light of the war in Gaza — an initiative now also backed by France.
This shows that even as EU governments and the European Parliament shift to the right, Europe is shifting from soft rhetorical support for a Two State Solution to assertive action.
This change is also visible among European think tanks, civil society groups, and citizen movements, involved in the region. I have witnessed this shift first-hand through my work with the EPICON project of the Candid Foundation, which brings Israelis, Palestinians, and Europeans peace activists together in EU capitals for structured dialogue.
Across the continent, these conversations are becoming more urgent, more strategic. More and more Europeans feel that Europe must step up its game and play a more important role to resolve this crisis.
It remains to be seen what Washington’s long-term vision for the region is, and perhaps it is too soon to declare it irrelevant. Former U.S. President Donald Trump has recently been touring the Middle East, visiting Qatar and the Emirates, meeting with the new Syrian regime, and even introducing it to Israeli officials.
However, it does seem that the Trump Administration is viewing the region more broadly, without the traditional emphasis on the Two State Solution that characterised previous U.S. leadership.
Meanwhile the shift in tone carries real stakes. For generations, Israel was considered a strategic ally of Europe, grounded in shared democratic values. But that perception is cracking. Trust is eroding, and with it, Israel’s standing in the international community.
The stakes are high. The EU is Israel’s largest export market — vital to its economy. While Israel provides cybersecurity and defence technology, especially amid Russian aggression, its economic reliance on Europe is far greater than the EU’s on Israel.
Changes in Europe’s position are not made easy given the need for unanimity on EU foreign policy. The distance between Budapest and Dublin or between Bratislava and Madrid remains significant.
The role of the EU High Representative in unifying these divergent voices has therefore never been easy. Yet, the pressure on her is mounting, especially from Western European governments.
The future of the EU - Israel Association agreement will be discussed at the next Foreign Affairs Council meeting, bringing together all 27 Foreign Ministers. And while the EU deliberates on the future of the Association Agreement, countries like France are advancing at national level, with Germany tagging along.
If Israeli leaders continue to ignore the alarm signals from Europe, they risk provoking a rupture with their most important economic partner. Europe is no longer whispering. It is speaking with clarity — through resolutions, diplomatic coordination, and public messages. It is time for Israel to listen.
