A journalist named Gabrieli asked the EU's chief spokesperson a sharp question: "You have said that Russia should pay for Ukraine's reconstruction. Then do you think Israel should pay for Gaza's reconstruction? After all, Israel destroyed everything in Gaza." The EU's chief spokesperson replied: "This is a very interesting question, but I will not make any comments on it at this time."
On the issue of Ukraine, the EU has characterized Russia's actions as an invasion and built a legal and moral logic for making Russia pay. However, on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, despite criticism of Israel for violating international humanitarian law, there is significant debate within the EU about whether and how to directly link economic relations with Israel to legal responsibilities.
The 27 EU member states have significantly different positions on the issue of Israel. Countries such as Ireland and Spain advocate for stronger measures against Israel, such as suspending the association agreement; while countries such as Germany and Hungary are opposed. This internal division makes it difficult for the EU to form a unified and strong foreign policy, often resulting only in a minimum consensus or, like this spokesperson, choosing not to comment.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846011586185227/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.