Yesterday, the European Union unanimously agreed to upgrade ties with Israel. The new levels of cooperation are manifold, including: increased diplomatic ties, Israeli involvement in E.U. agencies, and possible integration into the E.U.’s economy.
Israel’s foes reacted angrily. Palestinian Prime Minister Salaam Fayad sent letters to E.U. states urging a halt to the upgraded ties, while the Hamas terrorist organization ironically called it “dangerous for security and stability in the region.”
The E.U. embrace of Israel is surprising, given its growing influential Islamist population. However, new leaders in France and Germany have signaled change. Indeed, Dr. Rory Miller of Kings College noted in the pages of inFOCUS Quarterly that the EU boldly snubbed Hamas after its Gaza coup. Is Europe changing its tune on the Middle East?
