By Anietie anii-bassey
Europe sharpened its focus on the Palestinian issue Monday as the election defeat of longtime Israeli ally Viktor Orbán in Hungary created new momentum for European efforts aimed at addressing the crisis in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Representatives from more than 60 countries gathered in Brussels for talks with Palestinian officials on regional stability, security and the long-term prospects for peace. The meeting reflected growing concern among European governments over the ongoing war in Gaza, the deteriorating conditions in the West Bank and the fading hopes for a two-state solution.
For years, the European Union has largely remained on the sidelines of Middle East diplomacy, despite being the largest provider of aid to the Palestinians and a strong supporter of the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
While many EU countries have condemned Israel’s military operations in Gaza, the bloc has struggled to translate criticism into action because of divisions among member states.
A majority of EU nations now recognize a Palestinian state, and outrage has intensified across Europe over the humanitarian toll of the conflict in Gaza. At the same time, the EU remains Israel’s largest trading partner and an important buyer of Israeli defense equipment, giving the bloc significant economic leverage even as it has struggled to wield political influence.
Europe played no major role in securing the October ceasefire in Gaza, which came into effect after two years of war. Several European governments sought to condemn or sanction Israeli actions during the conflict, but those efforts were repeatedly blocked by Orbán, who maintained one of the strongest pro-Israel positions within the EU.
Hungary’s incoming leader, Péter Magyar, has signaled that his government will adopt a different approach. Magyar has said he wants pragmatic relations with Israel but also intends to restore Hungary’s membership in the International Criminal Court.
The court issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the war in Gaza, a move Orbán openly rejected while hosting Netanyahu in 2025.
Magyar has also suggested he may not continue Orbán’s practice of vetoing EU measures against Israel, a policy that frustrated governments critical of Netanyahu and prevented the bloc from taking unified action during the conflict.
Following Monday’s meeting in Brussels, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Hungary’s political transition could clear the way for measures that had long been blocked, including sanctions against violent Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Kallas said that 26 of the EU’s 27 member states support imposing sanctions on violent settlers and that a single country had repeatedly prevented those measures from moving forward. With a new government expected in Hungary, European officials believe there may now be a chance to act.
Meanwhile, Pedro Sánchez has intensified pressure on fellow EU governments by calling for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which governs trade and cooperation between the bloc and Israel. Spain is expected to formally present the proposal at a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
However, suspending the agreement remains unlikely because countries including Austria and Germany continue to strongly support Israel.
The agreement, which has been in force since 2000, forms the legal framework for economic and political ties between Israel and the EU. European officials have said there are indications that Israel may have breached elements of the agreement through its military operations in Gaza.
Other measures, such as targeted sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank, may be easier to approve because they require only a qualified majority among EU countries rather than unanimous support.
Ahead of Monday’s talks, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot warned that continued settler violence in the West Bank and the destruction in Gaza are rapidly eroding the possibility of achieving a two-state solution.
Prévot said that the two-state solution is becoming more difficult every day but remains the only realistic path to lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians as well as broader stability across the region.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Mustafa used the Brussels meeting to call for Palestinian unity and a single governing authority in Gaza.
Mustafa said Gaza must have one state, one government, one legal system and one objective. He argued that security in Gaza should be coordinated under the authority of the Palestinian leadership alongside international actors and any future stabilization force.
He also called for the gradual collection of weapons from armed groups and for a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The future of Hamas remains one of the most difficult issues in negotiations over the next phase of the ceasefire.
In the West Bank, Palestinians say Israel has used the regional conflict with Iran as cover to tighten control over the territory. They report a surge in settler attacks and stricter military restrictions on movement, measures Israel says are necessary for security.
Although the EU has avoided formally joining the Trump administration’s Board of Peace initiative for Gaza, preferring to work through the United Nations and international legal institutions, European leaders are increasingly determined not to be left out of future diplomatic efforts in the Middle East.
During the Brussels talks, Mustafa said he met for the first time with Nikolay Mladenov, who now leads the Trump-backed Board of Peace initiative. Mustafa said the two discussed Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, the need for more humanitarian aid and future security arrangements in the territory.
He said both sides agreed on many issues and indicated that further meetings would take place in the near future.
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