Europe faces potential rift over Israel war: Expert identifies three threats
Europe faces potential rift over Israel war (Getty Images)
The war in the Middle East is gradually dividing Europe. While there was more sympathy for Israel after October 7, the prevailing sentiment now is sympathy for Palestinians, according to the RBC-Ukraine article "Israel enters Gaza: How the world reacts to operation against Hamas."
Political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko sees three threats in this situation.
The first is a surge in anti-Israel sentiments in the Islamic world, some of which Israel hasn't encountered since the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which was accompanied by an energy war of Arab countries against the West. Currently, Hamas aims to incite Muslims worldwide against Israel, and to some extent, it has been successful.
The second threat relates to the strengthening of anti-Western sentiments in Global South countries. This has already been evident in the breakdown of the meeting between Joe Biden and Arab leaders, and overall, relations between the Global South and the West have become colder. Countries from Latin America to Asia perceive unquestioning Western support for Israel as disrespect toward Palestinians and their people.
The third threat is the differences among Western countries, as seen in the voting for the controversial UN General Assembly resolution on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Fourteen countries voted against it, including the United States, and most of Washington's allies did not support its position and abstained, including Ukraine.
According to the expert, the contradictions in the West may not be fatal, but they are serious and certainly have a significant impact on the international situation.
War in Israel
On October 7, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel. Militants infiltrated Israeli territory and brutally killed people, taking hostages.
Because of the Hamas attack on southern Israel, over 1,400 people died, with more than 3,000 injured. Over 200 people are held hostage in the Gaza Strip.
According to the Palestinian side, which is difficult to verify, over 5,000 residents of Gaza died as a result of Israeli attacks, and over 15,000 have been injured.
Currently, the Israeli army is targeting Hamas facilities in the Gaza Strip and has also initiated a ground operation. Today, the IDF announced clashes with terrorists in underground tunnels beneath Gaza.
