Israeli EU ambassador warns of 'political drift,' emphasizes dialogue

Israel’s ambassador to the European Union (EU), Haim Regev, expressed concern on Wednesday for what he described as an expanding “political drift” in many European countries that has reportedly led to a decline in support for Israel.

"There is no political tsunami, but there is certainly political drift that must be addressed," Regev stated in a press briefing with journalists in the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

Regev’s office announced that the ambassador emphasized the importance of dialogue and strengthening bilateral relations between Israel and the EU bloc.

"The Israeli ambassador to the EU, Haim Regev, made the comments while referring to claims on a shift in political discourse across Europe and underscored the importance of maintaining constructive dialogue and strong bilateral relations, particularly in light of the ongoing developments in Gaza," his office told The Jerusalem Post.

Most Israelis view the Gaza War as a legitimate act of self-defense against the Hamas terrorist organization, which instigated the war when it invaded Israel, massacred over 1200 Israelis and kidnapped 251 people from Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

However, Regev stressed that many Europeans are troubled by the images of death and destruction in Gaza amid the ongoing conflict. Israel continues to retaliated against Hamas, whose leaders continue to violate international law, embedding itself in civilian structures, schools, mosques and residential buildings.

"Europe sees the sights of horror, and it is difficult for it to deal with them," Regev stated.

The EU has criticized Israel’s ongoing military offensive against Hamas, demanding that significant inflow of humanitarian aid into Gaza be resumed. Earlier this week, the EU warned it would officially review its trade agreement with Israel as a result.

“The aid that Israel has allowed in is, of course, welcomed, but it's a drop in the ocean. Aid must flow immediately, without obstruction and at scale, because this is what is needed,” EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday.

Some EU states, including Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and possibly France, are reportedly pushing to cancel the free trade agreement with Israel to pressure Jerusalem to end its military offensive against Hamas.

However, any change in EU policy requires a consensus from all EU member states. The Israeli EU ambassador predicted there would not be a consensus within the EU concerning Israel.

"I estimate with quite a high degree of certainty that there will be no consensus for the total cancellation of the agreement, nor for its partial cancellation," Regev assessed.

Israeli diplomats believe that EU member states that are pro-Israel, such as Hungary and the Czech Republic, would block any attempts to cancel the trade agreement between Jerusalem and Brussels.

On Monday, France, the United Kingdom and Canada warned Israel that there would be consequences if it didn't halt IDF military operations in Gaza and restored the inflow of humanitarian aid.

 “If Israel does not stop the renewed military offensive and lift restrictions on humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete steps in response,” the leaders warned, according to The Jerusalem Post.