Sacred Lines? Only in Some Places

The European Union has a serious dilemma. A proposal by four of its constituent members demands the end of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. Spain, Ireland, Belgium and Netherlands have initiated this proposal and right now there is a dispute whether a unanimous decision is required or merely a majority will suffice to establish an EU boycott of Israeli goods produced across the "Green Line", that is, the armistice lines of 1949 in the war started by the Arab League against Israel. The EU and the left-leaning American press are very insistent of the observance of "international law"

when it suits them, and when it comes to the Jewish State, American Pravda, better known as the New York Times screams the loudest

Israel, a solid American ally, is disliked by much of Europe for numerous reasons which, due to political correctness, is never openly stated. Accusing some of these EU members of blatant anti-Semitism would immediately be denied but nevertheless is historically and contemporaneously true. Relations with Arab and Muslim states is more important to the EU for commercial reasons. For example, EU trade with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) totalled 344 billion Euros in goods and services during 2025. Similar trade with Israel was valued at 43.3 billion euros or approximately 13% of GCC trade. Adding to this trade the amount with other Muslim nations in Africa and Asia, it is easy to understand what is most important to the EU. Let's not forget the EU's dependence on Middle Eastern oil. The expression that money knows no flag easily explains the EU stand. Another major factor is ignorance, particularly among the young who have been brainwashed by their leftist professors. America and capitalism are the cause of most of the world's problems in their warped analyses. University faculties worldwide have been captured by the remnants of the intellectual left of the 1960s and 1970s. They lost the battles in the streets but conquered faculties , particuarlty of soft subjects. They succeeded beyond their wildest dreams in brainwashing two generations of young people and the indoctrination continues.

What is the problem the EU and much of the European and American left worry about? The "illegal" occupation of East Jerusalem, the so called West Bank of the Jordan River (also known as Judea and Samaria), the Gaza Strip and Golan Heights. These territories, which came under Israeli control after the Six Day War of June 1967 were previously under Jordanian, Syrian and Egyptian rule. Their previous temporary nature was the result of the armistice agreements signed in Rhodes and were specifically declared to be military demarcation lines, not permanent international borders or political boundaries. Since the Six Day War, the anti-Israel world has made those pre-war borders sacred and permanent. As a result of the defeat of Egypt, Jordan and Syria in their effort to destroy Israel in June 1967, these borders, referred to as Auschwitz borders by Israeli foreign minister Abba Eban, changed. In August 1967, the Arab League rejected an Israeli offer to return all these lands to the Arab nations at a meeting in Khartoum, Sudan where they announced their famous three NOs: No Negotiation, No Recognition, No Peace.

This short summary explains the heart of the issue and the so called fifty-six years of Israeli "occupation". The attitude of Europe and the EU can be summed up in the words of Daniel Bernard, who in 2001 was the French ambassador to the United Kingdom and Algeria. Bernard was quoted as saying "all the current troubles in the world are because of that shitty little country, Israel." "Why should the world be in danger of World War III because of those people". Bernard admitted that he said it and he would not apologize. There you have it. Volumes and millions, if not billions of words have been said since then, but that's the bottom line. Now they rave about the "inadmissability of conquering territory by force" and other niceties of international law. When will France return Alsace and Lorraine to Germany? When will Poland return Silesia to Germany? The answer is never! When will territory seized by the Soviet Union be returned? Russia's war aims in its current vicious attack on Ukraine are absolutely the conquest of territory by means of force. But it's only the shitty little country that the EU worries about,. Let's be honest about the EU and the left's attitude towards Israel. Their "anti-Zionism" is nothing but a more sophisticated overt hatred of Jews. They should start worrying more about their own future. They need to understand that life is not a schoolyard game where the question of safe or out at second base is decided by a "do over". There are no "do overs" in real life. The days are long gone when military victories in the field were reversed at the diplomatic table. Indeed, those days never existed and they don't exist now.

When will peace come to the Middle East? When the belligerent parties make peace. The intervention of third parties does nothing but prolong a resolution of the state of bellgerency. EU, US, UN: Keep Out! There will be peace despite the interference of the "do gooders" of the world.

Garry S. Sklar

Milan, Italy

July 26, 2026