Since October 8, 2023, Israel has endured relentless, unprovoked rocket attacks from Hezbollah. Despite this ongoing aggression, an increasing number of European countries seem to struggle with the fundamental idea that Israel, like any sovereign nation, has the right to defend itself. For eleven and a half months, Israel exercised restraint, pursuing every diplomatic avenue to stop Hezbollah’s hostility in South Lebanon. But with diplomacy yielding no results, Israel has been forced to take a more proactive stance to safeguard its citizens.

From Israel’s perspective, the European response has been deeply frustrating. Political leaders, in particular, seem to be suffering from collective amnesia, conveniently forgetting that it was Hezbollah—an internationally recognized terrorist organization—that initiated these attacks. Rather than pressuring Hezbollah to cease its unprovoked aggression, European leaders have failed to act decisively. At best, diplomats and officials call for ceasefires, urging “both sides” to de-escalate, ignoring the clear instigator. At worst, they draw false parallels between Gaza and Hezbollah’s attacks from Lebanon, framing Israel as the aggressor violating international law. Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, even suggested that Israel’s actions in Lebanon could constitute war crimes, further skewing the narrative.

The UN Human Rights Council has grown to be an embodiment of hypocrisy. It was chaired only last year by Iran, a country with imperialistic ambitions and a serial human rights violator. Now, they have sunk to a new low as UN rights chief accused Israel of war crimes for targeting… pic.twitter.com/zsg8pHdYaS

— Isranomics (@isranomics) September 21, 2024

French President Emmanuel Macron has been particularly vocal in his criticism of Israel. In a recent speech, he expressed sorrow for civilian casualties in Lebanon but failed to mention Hezbollah, the organization responsible for launching rockets at Israel. According to reports, Macron even clashed with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on the issue. Macron’s refusal to acknowledge Hezbollah’s role in the violence paints a one-sided narrative, one that resonates with the European public, where the conflict is often seen as Israel’s doing.

In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who initially pledged strong support for Israel, has been notably silent on the ongoing battles in Lebanon. This silence comes despite rising pressure from pro-Palestinian activists, who disrupted the recent Labour conference to demand a halt to all defence exports to Israel. While Starmer’s government froze several defense licenses, the growing anti-Israel sentiment in Britain reflects a broader shift in European public opinion.

Germany, another key European player, has also remained relatively quiet. Foreign Minister Analena Baerbock and Chancellor Olaf Scholz have avoided addressing the recent conflict in Lebanon, though Baerbock has faced criticism for hosting anti-Israel activists who accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing and war crimes. This episode further underscores the shifting tone in Europe, where Israel is increasingly viewed through a critical lens, even as it defends itself against clear acts of aggression.

A look at European media coverage reveals an alarming trend. The responsibility for Hezbollah’s attacks on Israel is downplayed or ignored altogether, with the narrative framing Israel as the aggressor. Headlines focus on Lebanese casualties -“Women and children among more than 325 dead and 1,200 injured in Israeli bombings in Lebanon” – with Israel’s defensive strikes often described as mere “allegations” or “reports”, reinforcing the perception that Israel is acting recklessly.

This distorted narrative reflects a broader erosion of political and public support for Israel in Europe. Over the past 11 months, as the war in Gaza dragged on, many European countries imposed arms embargoes on Israel, citing concerns over potential war crimes. Now, as Israel fights a defensive war against Hezbollah, it does so with dwindling legitimacy in the eyes of its European allies. European governments and courts have increasingly aligned with international bodies, like the International Criminal Court, that are scrutinizing Israel’s actions under the lens of international law.

Moreover, Israel has been paying the price for neglecting its public diplomacy efforts in Europe. Demonstrations against Israel have become a weekly occurrence in European capitals, while Israel’s attempts to present its case to European public opinion have been insufficient. This vacuum has allowed anti-Israel voices to dominate the conversation, further eroding support for the Jewish state’s defensive actions.

In sum, Israel is now faced with a difficult situation: it must defend its citizens from Hezbollah’s attacks while simultaneously grappling with a European public that increasingly sees it as responsible for the violence. The international community’s failure to recognize Hezbollah’s aggression and Israel’s right to self-defence not only weakens Israel’s standing but also undermines the broader principles of sovereignty and international law. The question remains whether Europe will acknowledge these realities before the situation deteriorates further.

Image credit: Nabatiyeh district, Lebanon (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)