European states are debating the war in Gaza as a foreign policy crisis with little direct connection to the internal workings of the EU. Yet as the conflict continues to escalate, the efforts by Brussels to keep the horror engulfing Gaza and Israel at arm’s length from the EU are unlikely to remain sustainable for long.
As preparations fall into place for the first in-person summit in four years between EU officials and their Chinese counterparts, hopes for constructive partnership have been displaced by mutual suspicion. Yet in hardening its stance toward Beijing, Brussels is ignoring weaknesses within China that could also generate risks.