In an interview with the website of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations regarding Europe’s political pressures on the Israeli regime to stop its crimes and actions in Gaza, Hossein Royvaran stated: Europe has focused its political and propaganda pressures against the crimes of the Israeli regime in Gaza at the level of public opinion, because the people in these countries, through demonstrations, boycotts of Zionist goods, and judicial pursuits, are trying to pressure their governments to take practical action against the aggressions of the Israeli regime in Gaza. While some European governments are trying to position their political stance in a way that satisfies their people and domestic and political atmosphere, these actions do not translate into real pressure against the Zionist regime.
He said: The positions of France, Britain, and Germany are such that they apparently, on one hand, condemn the genocide of the Israeli regime in Gaza and, on the other hand, try to show their alignment with their people and public opinion, but at the same time, they sell weapons to the Israeli regime and remain silent or even supportive of this regime’s actions and attacks against Gaza and other countries.
This regional affairs expert emphasized: Although the German government has stated that it will no longer sell weapons to the Israeli regime, Germany, along with Britain, is still selling weapons to this regime. Also, their political relations with the Israeli regime have not diminished; to the extent that they neither summon the ambassador of the Israeli regime nor have their economic exchanges changed. This indicates that most European governments, except for Spain, merely oppose the actions of the Zionist regime at a declaratory level, which is more political and aimed at maintaining their domestic public opinion.
Royvaran said: In this context, only Spain reduced the level of its economic exchanges with the Zionist regime and adopted primarily firm stances against this regime. For instance, it voted in favor of the two-state solution at the United Nations General Assembly. In contrast, many European countries abstained from voting on this proposal at the UN General Assembly. Therefore, it must be said that Europe does not act uniformly regarding the Palestinian issue, and the European Union also continues its previous stance of cooperation and interaction with the Israeli regime.
In response to the question of how long and to what extent Europeans can support the Israeli regime in this manner, he said: After all, political systems in the West are liberal and need people’s votes; hence, they are forced to respect the position and demands of their people to the necessary extent. Recently, a demonstration against the crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza took place in Germany, which was planned by a political party in this country and had obtained a permit for its holding. In Germany, there have been many demonstrations against the crimes of the Israeli regime in the past two years. Still, the recent demonstration, which a political party coordinated, is significant. The entry of parties into taking stances against the Israeli regime is an important point and can make widespread protests in this country and other European countries more effective.
This regional affairs expert, in response to the question of whether pressure on the Israeli regime at this level has precedent in the past, especially from European countries, stated: “At no time has it been like this.” Since the declaration of the existence of the usurper Israeli regime, such behavior and positioning by European countries has no precedent. Previously, Western societies were influenced by Zionist media; however, with the emergence of new media and direct communication networks, people around the world are now informed of developments in real-time, leading to widespread protests that have not been witnessed before.
Royvaran, regarding the escalation of pressures on the Israeli regime and its allies after Tel Aviv attacks Qatar, stated: The importance of the attack on Qatar by the Israeli regime is that Europe’s effort for the accompaniment and rapprochement of Qatar and the Israeli regime came to a halt. Europeans condemned this attack to some extent, but unlike Europe, America showed that it has no ally in the region except the Israeli regime, and other countries are ostensibly subservient to America. This country is not very concerned about its Arab allies in the region. The fact that America allows the Israeli regime to attack Qatar is a kind of denial of the alliance of the Persian Gulf Arab countries by America, and this approach will undoubtedly affect the relations of these countries with the West and America in the future.