The European Union convened more than 60 nations in Brussels on Monday for talks with Palestinian representatives on stability and security in Gaza and the West Bank, as the 27-nation bloc attempts to claim a larger role in Middle East diplomacy despite being sidelined during critical ceasefire negotiations. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamed Mustafa attended the meeting, which highlighted the EU's struggle to translate its status as Israel's top trading partner and the Palestinians' largest aid provider into meaningful diplomatic influence.
Hungary's Political Shift Changes EU Dynamics
The Brussels conference comes as Hungary's political transition promises to reshape EU policy toward Israel. Hungary's next leader, Péter Magyar, has indicated he will reverse predecessor Victor Orban's pattern of vetoing EU actions critical of Israel—a stance that blocked European moves to condemn or sanction Israeli actions over the past three years of Middle East conflict. Magyar has said he would seek "pragmatic relations" with Israel but also rejoin the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Gaza. Orban had defied that warrant while hosting Netanyahu about 1 year ago, then started the process of Hungary leaving the world's only court for war crimes and genocide.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said after the Brussels meeting that without Orban's veto, action could be coming soon, including sanctions on violent Israeli settlers. She said, "We have 27 countries and 26 countries want to put violent settlers sanctions in place," and added, "The one who doesn't want the sanctions on violent settlers has gotten their upper hand. Now, this country had elections, and we'll have a new government."
Limited EU Influence Despite Economic Leverage
The EU had no role in negotiating the October ceasefire in Gaza that took effect about 6 months ago after two years of war, underscoring the bloc's peripheral position despite being Israel's top trading partner and a major buyer of Israeli weapons. A majority of EU member countries now recognize an independent Palestinian state after many expressed outrage over Israeli actions in Gaza, yet the bloc has largely remained on the sidelines in substantive peace negotiations.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, among leaders critical of Netanyahu, wants the EU to suspend its long-standing Association Agreement with Israel and has said Spain will make a formal proposal at an EU foreign ministers' meeting on Tuesday. The agreement, in force for 26 years, sets out the legal and institutional framework within which the bloc and Israel conduct trade and cooperation. The EU has found indications Israel had violated that agreement in its military campaign in Gaza. However, a suspension seems unlikely because countries such as Austria and Germany tend to back Israel.
Competing Visions for Gaza's Future
Mohamed Mustafa said Gaza requires "one state, one government, one law and one goal." He said, "Our common objective of achieving one security structure under the legitimate authority should guide the effective coordination between the International Stabilization Force, the Palestinian Authority, security institutions and other international actors. Security must not be fragmented." He also called for "the gradual and responsible collection of arms from all armed groups and also the full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza." The disarmament of Hamas is a major challenge in next steps for the ceasefire in Gaza.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said ahead of Monday's meeting that ongoing attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and continued devastation in Gaza had dimmed the prospect for a two-state solution. He said, "The two-state solution is being made more difficult by the day," and added, "But Belgium and many European and Arab partners continue to believe that this remains the only realistic path to a lasting peace, for Israelis, for Palestinians and for the stability of the entire region."
In the West Bank, Palestinians say Israel has used the cover of the Iran war to tighten its grip over the territory, as settler attacks surge and the military imposes additional wartime restrictions on movement, citing security.
Trump Administration's Alternative Approach
The EU has avoided directly joining the Board of Peace created by the Trump administration to tackle Gaza, preferring the multilateralism of the United Nations and global legal norms. During the Brussels meeting, Mustafa said he had met for the first time Nikolay Mladenov in the Bulgarian diplomat's role as the Trump-appointed director of Board of Peace. Mustafa said he pressed Mladenov on ongoing Israeli military action in Gaza, increasing humanitarian assistance and security in the coastal enclave. He said, "We see eye to eye on many things, and I think that we will be meeting again in the near future."
Other action, such as targeted sanctions on Israeli settlers in the West Bank, could be approved if a qualified majority of 15 of the 27 nations representing at least 65% of the EU's population agree.
Why This Matters:
The Brussels conference reveals the institutional limits of European influence in Middle East peace efforts despite substantial economic leverage. The EU's reliance on consensus decision-making has allowed single member states to paralyze collective action for three years of conflict, raising questions about the bloc's capacity to translate aid spending and trade relationships into diplomatic outcomes. Hungary's political transition may enable previously blocked measures, but fundamental divisions among member states—particularly between those sympathetic to Israel's security concerns and those focused on Palestinian grievances—remain unresolved. The competing frameworks of the EU's multilateral approach and the Trump administration's Board of Peace highlight fragmented international efforts at a critical juncture when the disarmament of Hamas and the establishment of unified Palestinian governance present formidable practical challenges to any lasting settlement.