The Evolution of the European Union Policies towards Israeli- Palestine Conflict: The Interplay of Regional and International Parameters

OpenAlex İngilizce

During the 1980s, the European Community (EC) adopted a “balanced” approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict. In the 2000s, however, the EU changed its policy of neutrality. It began to address Palestinian issue within the framework of security and emphasized more and more terror dimension of the conflict. On this basis, this study aims to explore the reasons behind the changing policies of the European Union toward Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By analysing the shifts in the international and regional setting, the paper explores the securitization of the EU’s Palestinian policy since early 2000s. The findings suggest that the differing interest of member states, the failure of the EU’s liberal regional approach in the Middle East, and the changing geostrategic setting are the key factors driving the EU’s evolving policies on the Arab-Israeli conflict.