The European left’s abandonment of Israel since October 7th—including by government officials—has prompted Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration to reconsider its relations with right-wing parties it once boycotted.
Jerusalem has long refused contact with some of the Continent’s leading populist movements due to concerns surrounding their origins, but this week initiated talks with France’s National Rally, the Sweden Democrats and the Spanish Vox party.
The department under Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar said:
We do not agree with the entire platform of these parties or with every statement made by their leaders, but we believe that we can have a dialogue with them.
Charlie Weimers of the Sweden Democrats said the move followed efforts by his party to “normalise the relationship.” He was the first senior Swedish politician to visit Israel after October 7th, declaring at the time the threat against Jews “throughout Europe and the Western world.” Weimers yesterday celebrated the new opportunity to “engage in dialogue on important issues of common interest.”
Israels regering har beslutat att även officiellt släppa sin bojkott mot SD.
— Charlie Weimers MEP 🇸🇪 (@weimers) February 24, 2025
Efter att i flera år arbetat för att normalisera relationen kan jag nu konstatera att vi framöver kommer att kunna föra dialog om viktiga frågor av gemensamt intresse. https://t.co/v35mG93AWR
Speaking on Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, French-Israeli journalist Jonathan-Simon Sellem said “the party’s support for Israel has been remarkable” since October 7th. Meanwhile, president Emmanuel Macron has called for a suspension of arms deliveries to Israel.
Spain’s governing party has also come under fire over the 500-plus days over its anti-Israeli policies, whereas Sa’ar’s team has decided to relaunch relations with VOX “after extensive discussions on the matter.”
Israel’s shift is an acknowledgement of the Middle Eastern nation’s continued need for allies but in a changing world.
Relations have been noticeably more sour between Israel and Brussels this week, with Netanyahu’s government denying entry to two EU lawmakers—including the head of the European Parliament’s EU-Palestine delegation that planned to advance “social projects” in East Jerusalem. French MEP Rima Hassan was sent on a flight back to Brussels on Monday, Israeli media reported.
According to Ynet News, Interior Minister Moshe Arbel issued instructions to deny her entry while she was already on an inbound flight, following a recommendation by the Israeli Diaspora Ministry. Hassan “has been consistently working to promote boycotts against Israel, in addition to many public statements both on social media and in media interviews,” the Interior Ministry said. Hassan has also repeatedly accused Israel of “genocide.”
“Israel will not grant legitimacy to those who seek its harm,” Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli commented.
Germany’s likely next chancellor Friedrich Merz did, however, signal on Monday that Netanyahu could visit Germany without fearing arrest under ICC warrant, saying “it is a completely absurd idea that an Israeli prime minister cannot visit the Federal Republic of Germany.”
