More EU leaders are turning against Israel

Both Belgium and Hungary have taken steps to distance themselves from Israel, making them the fourth and fifth countries to do so.

Belgium has joined Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia in demanding that the EU end its association with Israel.

Meanwhile, Péter Magyar, the incoming Hungarian Prime Minister, has made it clear that he will:

arrest Netanyahu if he ever comes to Hungary

He also made it clear that Hungary intends to remain a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Better late than never

Already, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia have all demanded that the EU end its ‘association’ with Israel. As the Canary previously reported:

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez has said that Spain will demand an end to the EU’s ‘association agreement’ with Israel at tomorrow’s (21 April 2026) meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg. Spain will be joined by the governments of Ireland and Slovenia. The association agreement gives Israel preferential trade access to the EU as well as setting a framework for political negotiations.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, told a rally in Andalusia that he is calling for the move because:

a government that violates international law or the principles of the EU cannot be its partner.

Then, on 19 April, the Spanish, Irish, and Slovenian foreign ministers wrote to the EU’s senior diplomat Kaja Kallas. They accused Israel of breaching its obligations under international law, including

executive decisions, military decisions and laws adopted by the Knesset, that contravene human rights and violate international law and international humanitarian law.

Ahead of a meeting with EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Maxime Prevot, Belgium’s Foreign Minister, said that Israel’s actions in Lebanon are “totally unacceptable“.

He said that Belgium is calling for at least a partial suspension of the EU’s Association Agreement with Israel.

War criminals hiding in plain sight

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. In principle, ICC member countries are obliged to detain individuals subject to such warrants.

However, some countries have argued they can remain ICC members without enforcing such warrants.

France argued that arresting Netanyahu would contravene other agreements it has with Israel.

Importantly, though, Péter Magyar, incoming Hungarian Prime Minister, told reporters that:

If a country is a member of the ICC and a person who is wanted by the ICC enters our territory, then that person must be taken into custody.

Netanyahu is due to visit Hungary later this year.

Meanwhile, Italy and Germany have defended Israel from EU trade sanctions.

Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, said that breaking trade agreements is not a useful tool because then the Israeli population “will be affected.”

Of course, he is ignoring that the vast majority of Israeli citizens support the illegal state’s genocides.

Holding Israel accountable

Eighty-two percent of Jewish Israelis support expelling Palestinians from Gaza. Meanwhile, 56% back the expulsion of Arab citizens of Israel.

Additionally, Tajani is also ignoring the fact that there is a conscription law in Israel. This means that the majority of Israeli citizens must serve in the IOF for a minimum of 24 months for women, or 32 months for men.

Essentially, the majority of Israelis have either directly taken part in the genocide or support it, which means their feelings are irrelevant.

Whilst some EU leaders are finally growing a pair and taking a stand, it seems that some EU countries are still putting trade, money, and the delicate feelings of a majority-genocidal country above the lives of black and brown people in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.

But until the rest of Europe starts centring those lives, feelings, and voices, Israel will continue to commit war crimes and get away with it.

Feature image via the Canary