Belgium on the right track but Europe is failing Palestinians

Belgian government’s announcement last week that it will label all products made in illegal Israeli Jewish settlements is welcome, although it will ultimately prove ineffectual.

Belgium has historically shown solidarity with Palestine when compared to many other European countries, such as the UK, Germany and France. From the cancelation of a 2019 trade mission to Israel to the effusive support by Belgian civil society, artists, scholars and ordinary people, it has demonstrated the desire to play a constructive role in ending the Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Obviously, it will take more than symbolic solidarity and political statements to force Israel to respect international law, dismantle its apartheid system, end the military occupation and grant Palestinians their freedom.

Belgium’s dilemma is the same for countries across Europe. While European governments insist on the centrality of the questions of democracy, human rights and international law in their dealings with Israel, they fail to carry out any meaningful steps to ensure Tel Aviv complies with declared EU policies.

Belgium’s decision to differentiate between products made in Israel and those made in illegal Jewish settlements is not predicated on Brussels’ own legal frame of reference, but on several landmark EU decisions in this regard. For example, in November 2015, the EU issued new guidelines to ensure products from illegal settlements are labeled as such. In January 2016, the EU reportedly “reinforced” its position that such products must be clearly labeled.

However, little labeling has taken place since — a reality that compelled EU citizens, with the support of various civil society organizations, to challenge the failure of the European political establishment by appealing directly to EU courts. In November 2019, the EU’s top court, the European Court of Justice, ruled that products from illegal Israeli settlements must provide an “indication of that provenance (allowing consumers to make) informed choices.”

Therefore, Belgium’s recent decision is merely a belated implementation of various rulings that have been made in the past and left unfulfilled by most EU countries.

However, instead of showing complete support for Brussels and initiating their own processes to implement the EU court’s ruling, most European countries remained silent. Meanwhile, Tel Aviv raged, claiming that the decision was “anti-Israeli” and alleging, inaccurately, that it “strengthens extremists.”

As soon as the Belgian government’s decision was reported in the international media, Israel threw its usual tantrum. Deputy Foreign Minister Idan Roll immediately canceled a scheduled meeting he had with Belgian officials, compelling the Foreign Ministry’s office in Brussels to justify and further clarify its position.

Expectedly, the Palestinian Authority, Palestinian rights groups, civil society organizations and many individuals commended Belgium on its courageous position, which is akin to other similar positions previously adopted by countries like Ireland, which in May became the first EU country to execute such a measure.

The prevailing wisdom behind such euphoria is that such steps can serve as a prelude to other practical steps, which could ultimately generate the needed momentum for a full European boycott of Israel. But is this actually the case?

Judging by the European division on labeling products made in illegal settlements, the clear distinction between settlements and “Israel proper,” and the exponentially growing trade between Israel and the EU, one must be cautious not to jump to premature conclusions.

According to European Commission figures, the EU is Israel’s biggest trading partner, with a total trade value of €31 billion ($35 billion) in 2020.

However, more important than trade is that Europe has been the main access point in integrating Israel into the larger global dynamics of politics, economy, security and even culture, music and sports. While European trade with Israel is facilitated by the EU-Israel Association Agreement of 1995, integrating Israel into Europe is managed largely through the European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan of 2004.

The latter agreement, in particular, was aimed at offsetting the delegitimization of the Israeli occupation and its apartheid in Palestine that was achieved by the Palestinians and their supporters.

It would be implausible to believe that the EU, which has made a strategic choice to legitimize, integrate and normalize Israel in the eyes of Europeans and the rest of the international community, can also be the entity that holds Israel accountable for its breaches of international law.

It must also be remembered that, even if all European countries decided to label settlement products, that alone would not deter Israel, especially since the EU would do its utmost to make up for whatever trade deficit resulted from that move.

Moreover, any symbolic or even real pressure applied by the EU is often carried out within the framework of the Europeans’ stated desire for a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine. While it is true that such a “solution” remains the only one ratified by the international community, the complexity of the problem, common sense and facts on the ground tell us that coexistence in a single democratic, secular state remains the only practical, possible and nominally just end to this protracted tragedy.

Despite the articulate and even unambiguous statements by the EU regarding the illegality of the Israeli occupation, it is obvious that the Europeans do not have an actual strategy on Palestine and Israel. Or if such a strategy does exist, it is riddled with confusion and contradictions. In truth, Israel has no reason to take Europe seriously.

Europe has been the main access point in integrating Israel into the larger global dynamics of politics, economy, security and even culture, music and sports.

Ramzy Baroud

It is easy to accuse the EU of hypocrisy. However, there is more to the EU’s conduct in Israel than hypocrisy; arguably as a result of the lack of political unity and a shared vision among the bloc’s members. The EU is, in fact, helping sustain the Israeli occupation, financing it either directly or indirectly. The EU’s trade with and political validation and cultural integration of Israel have allowed the status quo of the seemingly endless occupation to continue. No amount of labeling of products from Jewish settlements will, on its own, reverse this.

While Belgium’s position is praiseworthy — as it reflects the ceaseless activism and pressure of the country’s own civil society — it should not be seen as an alternative to a courageous political and moral position, similar to the one taken during the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. Until then, Europe is obligated to demonstrate its willingness to stand on the right side of history.

• Ramzy Baroud