Israeli envoy to Brussels Haim Regev has said that his country is Europe’s dream neighbor, and that critics of Israel in the bloc should stop their destructive obsession with human rights in Gaza, reports Politico.
Regev has condemned critics of Israel in Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia, and warned the leaders of France, Britain and Germany that their recent criticism only emboldens the terrorist group Hamas and anti-Semites. In his final interview with Politico before leaving for Tel Aviv after four years in Europe, Regev called on the EU not to exclude Israel from the Horizon Europe research program and not to cut off trade ties. This would only be bad for Europe and its potential role in shaping the future of the Middle East.
The envoy said that using pressure to influence Israel has never worked and will not work. He said that it has come to the point where the EU or some elements want to stop Horizon or something else, but that the economic impact is not the concern, but the result. The envoy is concerned about the message these actions send and that what has been built up in recent years will be destroyed, and then the EU will no longer be able to play any role in Israeli politics.
Relations between the EU and Israel have deteriorated sharply in recent weeks, as concerns grow about human rights violations in the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip. The European Commission has warned of a famine in Gaza and has called for a partial suspension of the EU-Israel cooperation agreement. At present, this remains only a proposal, as Germany and some other European countries have refused to punish Israel in this way.
Regev, who personally signed the Horizon agreement, said he hopes for further cooperation and that
he believes that tougher sanctions, including the suspension of trade relations, against Israel would not be adopted.
The envoy acknowledged that EU support for Israel peaked in October 2023, but as the war continued, support has waned. The EU is now at a crossroads, having to choose what kind of relationship the bloc wants with Israel.
Recent talks between EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas and Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on the humanitarian situation in Gaza have built mutual trust, Regev said, and warned that suspending the cooperation agreement or parts of it would destroy everything. He pointed out that Israel is a dream neighbor in the EU: “We are a democracy, there is no issue with migration, gay rights. It’s a dream. At the end of the road Israel is the only player in the region that serves directly the interests of the EU.”
Not everyone in Brussels agrees. Although Regev has said he has always maintained good relations with key figures in the EC, some staff are threatening to go on strike over the situation in Gaza. The commissioners are also divided on what to do. Some are increasingly vocal about opposing Israel’s plans to step up its attacks on Gaza.
Regev said Israel was deeply disappointed that the Netherlands had joined its critics. In particular, the envoy was furious about Germany’s decision to restrict arms exports: “We do not accept that. We don’t think it is a step that Germany should take. At the end of the road, Europe knows the history of Israel, and the Jews, especially the Jews.” He expressed concern that Europe was returning to “the old days,” when antisemitism was commonplace, and said it was not safe to be a Jew in Europe.
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