Live

Last week in Greece nearly 300 protesters blocked an Israeli cruise ship from docking. Although the demonstration was brief, it has come to symbolize deeper shifts currently reshaping the European political landscape.

The Israeli cruise liner, carrying 1,600 passengers, was delayed for over six hours in the port before being redirected from Haifa to Cyprus. The incident sparked intense debate over the limits of protest and growing criticism of Israel’s policies across Europe.

Greek authorities officially condemned the blockade, calling it “outrageous” and “antisemitic.” Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar intervened directly, contacting his Greek counterpart and demanding immediate action. Meanwhile, local security services opted to monitor the situation rather than forcibly disperse the demonstrators.

A symptom of broader shifts in the EU

The protest was seen by many as part of a broader continental trend: criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza is intensifying across the EU. This growing discontent has fed into wider political debates on sanctions, humanitarian law, and the future of EU–Israel relations.

“The EU’s response to the Gaza situation is becoming a core political and image-defining issue for the entire Union,” said Michał Wojnarowicz, analyst for Israel and Palestine at the Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM).

“The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is so severe that the EU is already taking steps to penalize Israel,” he added.

Over the past two weeks, EU-wide debates have intensified around possible sanctions on Israel, suspension of research funding, and a re-evaluation of trade and diplomatic ties.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has continued her public criticism of the Israeli government, stressing that “all options remain on the table” should Israel fail to uphold its commitments to humanitarian aid access.

“Killing civilians seeking aid in Gaza is indefensible,” Kallas said firmly. “I spoke again with Gideon Sa’ar to reiterate our agreement on aid flows and made it clear that the IDF must stop targeting people at distribution points.”

Growing pressure to recognize Palestine

Kallas has presented ministers with a list of ten possible punitive measures, ranging from trade restrictions to targeted sanctions on individual Israeli officials. These actions, however, require unanimous agreement among all member states.

Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic have consistently blocked more assertive steps. As a result, EU ministers have so far limited themselves to “monitoring” Israel’s actions while maintaining pressure through the threat of future measures if the humanitarian situation does not improve.

Meanwhile, France, Ireland, and Spain are pushing for a different approach: they have intensified calls for full UN membership for Palestine and threatened to review their bilateral relations with Israel.

Poland, which has long advocated for a two-state solution and immediate humanitarian corridors into Gaza, has joined the group of countries demanding a reassessment of the EU–Israel Association Agreement.

French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer have announced they plan to formally recognize the State of Palestine during the UN General Assembly in September. While largely symbolic, the move adds to mounting international pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza.

“Israel has long signaled that recognition of Palestine by EU countries could prompt it to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank,” noted Wojnarowicz. “The question is whether Israel will take that risk, knowing the political costs involved.”

Cultural fault lines in European society

The events in Greece have exposed deeper socio-cultural divisions across Europe. While solidarity initiatives – including protests, blockades, and humanitarian campaigns – are galvanizing civic action in many EU countries, they are also creating new tensions and varied political reactions.

The war in Gaza is forcing Europe to confront key questions of identity and the growing pressures of migration from Africa and the Middle East. The ongoing debate highlights a disconnect between Europe’s declared values – freedom of conscience, pluralism, and tolerance – and the risk of societal polarization and rising radicalization.

“The aim of Israel’s policy is to carry out ethnic cleansing in Gaza,” argued Jarosław Kociszewski, director of the Polish Stratpoints Foundation for Security and Development.

“The people of Gaza are to be forcibly displaced to Libya. If that happens, we can be certain that their ultimate migration destination will be Europe,” he warned.

“We’re talking about 1.5 million people. This means a massive migration crisis. These are war-traumatized individuals, in need of medical care, but also deeply radicalized and seeking revenge on Israel,” he added, warning that such a scenario would “clearly fuel anti-immigrant sentiment.”

Clashing narratives in the public space reflect the EU’s struggles to form a coherent stance on the conflict. They also reveal how deeply the Gaza war is affecting European debates on identity, the boundaries of tolerance, and the role of civic engagement.

“The European Union cannot afford to disengage from what is happening in Gaza,” said Kociszewski. “The lack of firm EU decisions in response to events in Gaza is a real threat to Europe.”

Written by

Shape the conversation

Do you have anything to add to this story? Any ideas for interviews or angles we should explore? Let us know if you’d like to write a follow-up, a counterpoint, or share a similar story.

Write a counterargument article Write a related article