Welcome to the Brussels EditionBloomberg’s daily briefing on what matters most at the heart of the European Union.
The EU has made clear its support for Israel after the Hamas attacks, but its position on the Palestinians is more complicated. Hours after Oliver Varhelyi, the bloc’s enlargement commissioner, announced that all development aid to the Palestinians would be suspended, the Commission backed away from the decision, affirming on the contrary that the aid was under urgent review. Member states were left perplexed as most expected foreign ministers to discuss the program at today’s emergency meeting. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres even contacted Council President Charles Michel to express his concerns about any suspension of aid, we are told. Spain and Ireland, among others, have made it clear they are unhappy with the EU’s back-and-forth, meaning foreign ministers are expected to have a heated discussion today. Meanwhile, Israel stood united, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu risks succumbing to the same fate like its predecessor 50 years ago.
