A little while ago I reported that the EU and Israel were upgrading their diplomatic and economic relations. The U.S. House Subcommittee on Europe held a hearing on July 9 on the Europe-Israel relationship which looked as well at the closer ties between Israel and NATO. The Subcommittee website contains a trove of information, if you're interested.
The Israel-NATO ties are based on a clearer perception that the two sides face common threats, whether it is Islamist terrorism or the potential of a nuclear Iran. The Israel-EU relationship reflects as well enhanced mutual economic interests, and a friendlier European leadership, as Merkel, Sarkozy and Berlusconi have replaced Schroeder, Chirac and Prodi in Germany, France and Italy, respectively. Enlargement to the east has also brought into the EU fold more countries that see a strategic interest in good ties with Israel.
Now, European leaders who want to promote closer ties must bring along with them all those people who have embraced anti-Israeli, strongly pro-Palestinian positions for decades. These include media figures, such as those supporting France TV2's false reporting on the alleged death of Muhammed al-Dura. They also include those who continue to support European Commission funding of Palestinian schoolbooks promoting hatred of Israel. For details on that problem, see a January 2008 report by the UK Taxpayers Union.
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