By Our Special Correspondent
“The measure of a civilization is how it treats those who cannot fight back.”
— Howard Zinn
As the war on Gaza stretches into its most devastating phase, with tens of thousands dead, entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble, and humanitarian catastrophe unfolding on an unprecedented scale, the international community stands at a moral and political crossroads. Much attention has been directed at Washington’s unflinching support for Israel’s military campaign, but another powerful actor—one with both economic leverage and legal obligations—is failing in its duty with a silence that is both strategic and shameful: the European Union.
A Market of Influence—And Moral Evasion
In 2024, the EU was Israel’s largest trading partner, accounting for 32% of Israeli exports, and Israel ranked as the bloc’s third-largest trading partner in the Middle East, after Morocco and Algeria. This deep economic interdependence is governed by the EU-Israel Association Agreement a deal that provides Israel with preferential trade access to the vast European market— on the strict condition that it upholds human rights and international law.
That condition is no small print; it is the moral spine of the agreement. And yet, for 21 months and counting, as allegations of war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and genocide mount against Israel, the EU has stood conspicuously still. Despite its own internal review concluding that Israel is violating human rights commitments in Gaza and the West Bank, the bloc has refused to trigger even the mildest sanctions or suspensions. The result is more than inaction; it is complicity.
A Legal Commitment Betrayed
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, recently acknowledged Israel’s breaches of human rights obligations. Yet when it came time to act—through sanctions, suspension of trade privileges, or even symbolic gestures like halting academic cooperation—not a single proposal gained enough traction to move forward.
Even the “low-hanging fruit” of blocking imports from illegal Israeli settlements—a move consistent with the EU’s own position that these settlements are violations of international law—was rejected. The reason? Disunity. Belgium, Ireland, Spain, and several others called for stronger measures, while Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic effectively vetoed them, maintaining an ironclad shield around Israel.
In the words of Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, the EU’s failure is “spitting on its own constitution.” It is, in essence, a betrayal not only of Palestinians but of European values themselves.
The Power of Trade—Unrealized
The EU-Israel Association Agreement is not a symbolic contract—it represents over €68 billion in trade and deep cooperation in science, academia, and industry. Since 2021, Israel has received over €831 million in EU grants through the Horizon science program alone. If the EU chose to wield this economic leverage, the impact on the Israeli economy—already burdened by the costs of war—could be profound.
More importantly, such action would send a clear message that international law matters, and that violating it carries consequences.
Instead, the EU offers only tepid expressions of concern while Israeli bombs fall on refugee camps and hospitals. It keeps “options on the table” while removing every tool from its diplomatic arsenal. For Gaza, this is not neutrality. It is abandonment.
A Growing Global Divide
While the EU falters, a new front of accountability has emerged. South Africa, Colombia, Algeria, Brazil, Indonesia, Qatar, and others have formed The Hague Group to pursue justice through international legal mechanisms. These countries, largely from the Global South, are stepping into the moral vacuum left by the West.
Ireland has introduced legislation to ban imports from illegal settlements—an act of rare consistency between values and policy. But these isolated efforts are far from enough to shift the balance. The EU’s inaction continues to embolden Israel, rendering decades of human rights rhetoric hollow. The world is watching. The Islamic world, especially, is watching.
A Crisis of Values, Not Just Policy
What we are witnessing is not just a political failure—it is a collapse of credibility. The EU, long seen as a moral compass in international affairs, is at risk of becoming a case study in hypocrisy.
It cannot simultaneously champion human rights in Ukraine while excusing war crimes in Gaza. It cannot condemn the siege of Mariupol and remain silent on Rafah. Selective outrage is not diplomacy—it is duplicity.
For Muslim-majority countries, particularly those engaging in trade and cooperation with the EU, this moment demands reflection. Can economic ties continue unaffected while the EU stands by as Gaza burns? Can Islamic economies continue to fund partnerships that turn a blind eye to apartheid and occupation?
The Call for a Just Economic Order
The ongoing crisis in Gaza has provoked serious reflection across various sectors. While the immediate focus may rest on the humanitarian toll and geopolitical ramifications, the situation also raises profound questions about the ethical foundations of global economic relations. It invites analysis into how international trade systems operate when confronted with large-scale human rights violations: Who gains? Who bears the cost? And what mechanisms exist to enforce accountability when global norms are ignored?
For many observers, this is more than a regional conflict—it is emerging as a defining test of whether the principles of international law are universally upheld, or selectively applied based on political convenience. It also challenges the international community to consider whether economic partnerships can be tools for upholding justice, or whether they risk becoming enablers of impunity.
In this context, the European Union finds itself at a pivotal juncture. With its considerable economic leverage and stated commitment to human rights, the bloc has the means to influence the course of events in meaningful ways. Whether it will align its policies with its professed values remains an open—and urgent—question.
For stakeholders in the Islamic economic space, the Gaza crisis may be prompting a wider reassessment of global economic engagement. As institutions and individuals weigh their roles in shaping ethical trade and diplomacy, the conversation increasingly centers not only on economic opportunity but on moral responsibility.
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