The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada strongly oppose the expansion of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza and have threatened to take concrete actions if Israel does not stop its onslaught and lift restrictions on aid supply to the Palestinian enclave. They also condemn settlement expansions in the occupied West Bank and express concern over settler violence in the region. These Western leaders support Israel’s right to self-defence but believe that its current actions are disproportionate. The UK has suspended trade talks with Israel and imposed sanctions on settlers and organizations supporting violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. The UN has warned of a dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, with thousands at risk of starvation due to the Israeli blockade. Western nations, including Sweden, are considering further actions, including sanctions, against Israel to protect civilians in Gaza. Stenergard stated that they will now advocate for EU sanctions against individual Israeli ministers. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot called for an end to Israel’s “blind violence” and blockade of humanitarian aid. A joint statement from 24 countries, mostly European, urged for the resumption of unrestricted humanitarian assistance in Gaza. The European Union’s top diplomat, Kallas, initiated a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, supported by member states like Belgium, France, Portugal, and Sweden. Public pressure and impatience from US President Trump with the Netanyahu government have led to increased criticism of Israel’s actions. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu criticized leaders from London, Ottawa, and Paris, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich rejected moral hypocrisy and antisemitism accusations. Operation Gideon’s Chariot, a ground offensive in Gaza, has resulted in hundreds of Palestinian casualties and the destruction of hospitals. Western actions against Israel may not directly impact behavior on the ground but widen international discourse and could lead to more governments openly opposing Israeli actions. The Palestinian ambassador to the UK called for an arms embargo on Israel and accountability for war criminals. “Mereka harus mendukung usaha kami di Pengadilan Pidana Internasional dan Pengadilan Internasional,” katanya.
Netanyahu dan mantan Menteri Pertahanan Yoav Gallant menghadapi surat perintah penangkapan ICC atas kejahatan perang, tetapi beberapa negara Eropa telah mengatakan bahwa mereka tidak akan menangkap mereka.
Francesca Albanese, juru bicara khusus PBB untuk wilayah Palestina yang diduduki, mempertanyakan bagaimana sanksi yang diancamkan akan ditargetkan.
“Menargetkan siapa? Anda perlu memberlakukan sanksi pada negara. Ini bukan tentang perdana menteri. Ini adalah seluruh perusahaan pemerintah,” katanya kepada Al Jazeera.
Krieg dari King’s College London mengatakan kerusakan reputasi akan berdampak pada Israel jauh melampaui perang saat ini di Gaza.
“Akan sulit untuk membangun konsensus di masa depan seputar narasi bahwa Israel adalah ‘sekutu’ karena itu adalah ‘negara demokrasi satu-satunya di Timur Tengah’,” katanya kepada Al Jazeera.
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