Europe diary: Looking east

20 July 2006

In his diary this week, BBC Europe editor Mark Mardell considers the EU's search for a role in the Middle East, differing views on what is or is not "disproportionate" and the value of EU diplomatic efforts so far.

Your comments (page 1):

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It would be safe to say that the Arab and muslim world feels that it should not expect anything more from the European Union. In our eyes it was accepted as a given that the EU would not intervene to stop the murder of inncoent Lebansese Civilians or to stop the country's destruction. This is more than amply highlighted by the discusssion on whether the Israeli attacks are dissproportionate. Anyone who reads the news, llistens to it, or watches it, would be simply blind ot see otherwise. It is a fact that crimes are being committed and the EU is silent. Finally, the EU's almost criminal reluctance to condemn and call for an immediate halt to the Israeli attacks is again seen as criminal and irresponsible. Make no mistake, we blame our own despodent and autcratic governments first and foremost, then comes America for it's latest blot on history in backing Israel's crimes, and only lasty is our focus on the EU.
Nezar Al Abbas, Bahrain

I think it is very necessary for the EU to be actively involved as a counterweight to the US. It is a pity that the Europeans cannot speak with one voice, all part of the present lack of competent leadership throughout the West. All the more tragic as it has never been more needed since the end of WWII. Of course the Israelis are using disproportionate force - the likelihood that their actions would amount to war crimes was raised today (Wednesday). I am astonished that the world can stand by and watch the punishment of civilians, expressly forbidden under International law, and not be moved to condemn the Israli actions. This is not to say that I agree with the actions of the Hezbollah - their behavior has been foolhardy in the extreme.
john myers, Chicago, USA

Israel will never trust France and Germany to "mediate"; for rather obvious historical reasons and also the French bias in favour of the Arabs. The has no internal agreement (or at least I hope Blair never agrees with Chirac). I believe EU meddling is a dangerous waste of time.
Bob Orr, Tsukuba, Japan

I spend about 6 months every year in the EU. Not only do I think the EU ought to take a strong stand against the Israeli agresssion in Lebanon, I think it has an ethical duty to do so. The EU is increasingly seen as a sophisticated voice of reason internationally and an advocate for human rights. But it must act more decisively.
David Banks, B.C. Canada

The EU is supposed to be simply a group of countries committed to economic cooperation. Ordinary people in the UK have never signed up to it having any other role and it should stop looking for one. EU antics of this character are expensive, dangerous and likely to contavene the foreign policies of member states, notably the UK. It may also possibly involve them in unwanted military action and encourage terrorism on their home soil. Bean counters, busybodies etc should stick to their tasks and let the soldiers get on with theirs. The UN is the right international body to represent the world community in this sort of emergency and it must be allowed to do so without interference from such as the EU.
John Gover, Chingford London UK

Presumably Israeli bombing is to reduce the popularity of Hizbollah in Lebanon(it's all their fault). Lebanon is also a proxy punch-bag for Syria (and Iran), which Israel cannot attack. This could backfire and Hizbollah may gain support in Lebanon. Israeli intervention in the politcal balance in Lebanon and WB and Gaza is accepted by the US. Despite noises about democracy in the Middle East, the US does not like the results. Beyond sending bandages, I am not sure the EU has a policy on this.
blinkhorn, Luxembourg

The road map reads increasingly like "Afghanistan, Iraq...(Lebanon)...Syria, Iran". In this respect, yes, the European Union should be involved, not as an alternative voice, but as one expressing a clear opinion, the purpose of which needs to be to convince the Arab world of the fact that there is something other than merely the voice of the USA, becoming increasingly irrelevant because of how it is perceived in the Arab world, and because of what it is: meddlesome in all matters. Read the road map. You want a world war? You will get it!
Paul Franssen, Brussels, Belgium

Yes it would be good if Europe could take a moral lead in curbing Israel's crimes and forcing a genuine peace based on justice, but this is unlikely while the US calls all the shots and the US administration is seen in the region (with reason) as being controlled by the Israelis.
Riyad Tibi, Marlow, UK

I think several generations will have to go through before the European Union has any saying anywhere in the World. And that is only if indeed we become a Union, which I doubt very much. Economic interests are so big and different for the different countries, that this is all an hipocrisy and Brussels is a pure waste of money and Solana - really, does anyone still pays attention to him? European leaders defintely don't...
Sofia Machado, Lisbon, Portugal

If I could, I would give the EU a pat on the head. It's heart is in the right place but it's all mouth and no teeth. It will gain relevance in world affairs only when there is a price to be paid for ignoring it's point of view. And, as Mark Mardell said, the EU can barely even agree on a point of view. America's actions on the world stage are largely determined by the president..... no consensus needed.
franzi, San Francisco, USA

I think the EU has to have more guts to stand up against injustice. They can do it; they are a substantial global power. If they can slightly loosen their materialistic submission to the present-day superpower they will be more influential and effective in advocating a reasonable and fair world, one that - in the longer term - is fair to all humanity including the Europeans themselves. Gabriel Mikhail, Cairo, Egypt
Gabriel Mikhail, Cairo, Egypt

The EU have always been a voice for moderation and the Middle Way, unfortunately, the Middle East requires hard decisions backed up by force. We need to right the wrongs that have been perpetrated on the Palestinians, and force Israel to withdraw to the pre 1967 borders and then we must guarantee those borders with force if necessary. As long as present conditions prevail, we will have "freedom fighters" or "terrorists" call them what you may will always be around.
Robert Sebastian, Ash Vale, UK

A way must be found of getting help, clean water, food and medical supplies to the displaced and trapped civilians, especially children, of Southern Lebanon. Free passage for a relief convoy should be negotiated with Israel and with Hezbollah. If Hezbollah cannot be reached, then Teheran should be approached, possibly through the Red Crescent. If we can rescue our own citizens, shouldn't we try to relieve the suffering of those left behind?
edward jackson, saffron walden UK

The EU is more of an economic union and the only power it holds in the world arena is economics. The EU foreign minister (in all but name) doesn't have a common foreign policy backing him up and that makes him weak. On the other hand you have the United States which has an efficient decision making federal government with a common foreign policy focused on the US interests. Once more, the US is going to be the decisive Union for this conflict.
Kendeas, Cyprus

Since there is no concensus amongst the members of the EU, any attempt to get involved is bound to fail. It will merely increase the image of "no action, talk only". Europe is paying the price of its growing anti-americanism.
Triestram, Brussels

This article points out that no one on the big stage sees it fit to stand up to America and Israel. The damage and ruin of Lebanon far exceeds any attempt to show what happens when two soldiers are kidnapped. Why has no one stood up for Lebanon? Well, it seems that no foreign goverments actually care enough about the fate of our country. It makes me sick.
Jed Shamel, United Kingdom

Brussels seeks to arrogate powers and influence to itself which were never intended by its members. The classic arrogant "we know best" attitude beloved by non-elected nanny bureaucrats. I watch with admiration the awesome efforts being made by countries seeking to protect and evacuate their nationals from this terrifying situation. Something for which Brussels is not equipped or wanted. The mandate for these highly trained people is within the EU, trade negotiations with non EU countries and distribution of aid to the third world. As regards overseas diplomacy this can only be if EU members mandate Brussels specifically to do so on their behalf, i.e. as a bloc.
stephen hobbs, LONDON, uk

The European Union certainly has a role to play in this crisis. Although less obvious than the US, the EU exerts a unique influence through its key roles in international institutions such as the Roadmap and through dealing with the region as a whole under CFSP initiatives. As you also rightly indicated, the EU is able to draw on impressive economic mechanisms and 'soft power' strategies in order to engage with the Palestinian regime - not to mention Iran, where the US has played much more of a backseat role in ongoing diplomacy. The fact is, to concentrate only on the headline events when considering the EU's role is to ignore the areas where its influence is more profound. And can individual EU states hope to exert greater influence on the Middle East than a collective Ruropean approach? Unlikely.
Dex Torricke-Barton, London, UK

Even assuming the EU could come up with a single enforceable policy to the Lebanon conflict, it has virtually no influence on either side, is not trusted by either side and lacks the power to enforce a solution. Therefore it has no role. In fact, it is possible that the disproportionate focus by the EU and the European media on this crisis is actively harmful as, since neither side will want to be seen to back down, they are less likely to agree to negotiate.
Gareth, London

The EU obviously has the power to stop Israel by abolishing the free trade agreement which allows the Zionist state to flourish. The Europeans gain much more from their trade with the Arab world & are loosing much of their goodwill in the muslim world by towing the Israeli American line against their better judgement. By coming across as antiarab proIsrael Europeans will loose the benefits of the Petro dollars which in the future will be spent increasingly in China/India/brazil leaving Europe with only their preferential trade with Israel
Dr S rahman, UK

Of course the EU should be involved. But it can't because there is no central body to coordinate defence and foreign affairs (as would have happened with the constitution). Some countries (like Irealnd) see neutrality as morally superior to involvement - an act of cowardise in my opinion- and some are just plain antiEuropean, like the UK, an act of stupidity. Without a coordinated EU role the USA will continue to dominate the world; with an EU role some measure of common sense might return
Joseph Meagher, Preston UK

When a country is created on stolen land and the situation is allowed to exist for 60 years, the probability of a peaceful solution is almost nill.
Pedro Barrento, Palmela, Portugal

Someone has to try and regain sanity in this region, this can't continue as it is. Whilst I accept that to kidnap people is an act of aggression I believe the response from the Israel's has been disproportionate. I also feel that America is colluding with this and that is why nothing will change. I do beleive that we should (as European members) become involved.
Ann Newton, Eastbourne, Sussex

If the IRA had captured two British soldiers would Britain be correct to start bombing Ireland and killing neraly three hundred civilians?Arogant, arogant, Israel. 'Disproportionate' is not a word that comes to mind. 'Uncivilised' and 'madness' seem more appropropriate.
jason sykes, England

Unfortunately, I think what comes over from your report is that the EU is too bureaurocratic, and it does not have clear enough mechanisms for foreign policy action, to be able to intervene quickly in what might be termed 'crisis situations'. The EU can play a role in long-term settlements and providing aid for clearing up the mess, but unless it has agreed policies in place (with resources - such as a peace-keeping force) then it will take too long to agree anything, by which time the most critical actions - in this case the deaths of many innocent civillians - will have already taken place. In such 'crisis situations' it seems EU state governments always resort to acting out their own foreignpolicies, or innitiatives first and will not see the EU as a first line of action.
Keith May, Portsmouth

Given that events in the Middle East are as a result of actions in Europe's (particularly Britain's) colonial past, I'd say that we have a responsibility to get involved. If we don't act decisively and with equal emphasis on Israel's actions as Hezbollah's, then the best we will achieve is a temporary lull before the next cycle of violence breaks out.
Andrew Fish, Nottingham, UK

What the foreign ministers in Europe don't seem to realize is that while they evidently spend hours wrangling over the phrasing of a press statement, there are people in Lebanona dying or fleeing their homes every minute - and a country is being destroyed. Furthermore, I don't know on what ethical ground Israel could be allowed to more time to "destroy" Hizbullah - when clearly, it is destroying the entire country in the process. Hizbullah, by the way, is not just an armed milita - it is an institution that touches the daily lives of close to 40% of the Lebanese population.
Karim Malas, Damascus, Syria

As the conversation between Bush and Blair has shown, it is the U.S. that decides events in the Middle East. And since Bush's personal views, taken alongside the views of the advisors he surrounds himself with, are all pro- one particular side of the conflict, there is not a jot of difference anyone in the EU can make. Just as Bush needed a few countries to legitimise his "coalition of the willing", Bush will only listen to those, such as Blair, that re-inforce and back his own views. Everyone else is just wasting their time.
Jonathan M. King, Liverpool, England

The present UN deployment is clearly irrelevant, not presenting any barrier to either side. Deployment of a new, larger force with a tougher mandate would clearly be seen by Hizbollah as an enemy operation, so the danger would be that an international intervention along these lines would effectively amount to joining in on the Israeli side - but without actually doing anything much to rein in Hizbollah, and replacing the aggressive Israeli assault operation with a phoney buffer zone, over which Hizbollah's rockets can continue to fly, with Israeli ordnance presumably travelling in the opposite direction. With friends like these, the Israeli military might well reason, who needs enemies?
Christopher Lord, La Chapelle, France

The EU is often perceived here to be using Israel as a whipping boy in its futile game of one-upmanship over the US and as doing its best to keep the Middle East pot boiling to make this possible. Frankly, we have far more respect for our Hizballah and Hamas enemies than we have for you as purported neutrals.
David, Israel

By and large the Eu is an irrelavance in the Middle East. Not least because one of the key states ie Israel views it with suspicion as in the main most of the big Eu states are toadies to the Arab World as the defence and other contracts (and oil) are more substantial than israel has to offer.
jon d, wolverhampton

Once again the EU tries to legitimise itself as a political entity without a mandate from the people. The only powers the EU should have is those voted for by the people which are trade only. The EU really needs to butt out of an issue they have no role or influence in and drop the deluded attitude that as an instituion it is important in global politics. The disagreements (again) between certain countries, this time UK/Germany with France/Italy shows that the EU can never work politically as it will never speak with a single voice.
Dave, Billingham, Cleveland

The lack of a forceful response to the Israeli dis-proportionate aggression in the Lebanon is disgusting and in my opinion, does not reflect the wishes of the general public in Europe. It is time that Europe counterbalanced America in these disputes and stopped America fighting proxi wars.
James, ex. pat Denmark

The EU should make all the international moves necessary to be seen as an independent, peaceful source of power in the region. Later perhaps, rather than sooner, the absolute power of the US and Israel will decline. The Arabs have proven time and again that they, as a culture, are able to absorb incredible amounts of punishment and not accept final defeat. At some point, sustaining the military capability to punish them will be economically unviable. The history of the British empire proves that much. The EU must not be carried down the drain along with those who are today basing their policy in the region on military might.
Philip Papadopoulos, Thessaloniki - greece

The EU has rolled over and allowed Israel, with America's backing, to knock seven bells out of Lebanon with impugnity. The EU clearly has the will but not the ability to do the right thing by the innocent civilians on both sides. One reason for the EU's ineffectiveness in this area is that the EU does not itself know who or what it is or what its aims are, either internally or on the world stage. One solution to this problem would be for Lebanon to be itself an EU member state. Then it would be afforded the protection of NATO and Israel would have to use diplomacy instead of force to resolve its disputes.
Nick Russell, U.K

The EU should be doing all it can to end the violence. It has already committed itself to greater engagement with the Mediterranean (through the Barcelona Process and the Neighbourhood Policy). Solana is an excellent negotiator and just the person to deal with this tricky situation. It is unfortunate that some Member States, despite having committed themselves to a Common Foreign and Security Policy in 1992, still feel as though they have a higher profile by going it alone.
Paul James, Sheffield, UK

When 2 countries are at war it is impossible to have a force coming in and acting as a mediator. Normally, when one side is losing - or both are not winning (however that is defined) - that is the normal time for some peace force to come in. The problem is that if a force comes in, what happens if Hezbollah carry on shelling Israel ? What happens if Israel carry on targeted assassinations. One of the above has to stop then surely the other will follow. Israel has pulled out of Gaza. The Palestinians must try and show the world they are fit to govern. Stop attacking Israel and starting acting as a state. I.E. hospitals, schools, tourism, industries etc. If Israel can be a successful state, I don't see why the palestinians can't. They must look forward to the future and get on with their lives. Once they get on with things and start living normal lives, all other things will follow. Maybe we will find a Palestinian MAHATMA GANDHI somewhere.
Andy Stein, London

Either we tolerate Hezbollah's total disregard for the prohibitions on attacking civilians (Arab as well as Jew) or we don't. Hezbollah is clearly not going to listen to big shots in suits from the "infidel" West. So, preventing the Israelis from attacking them is equivalent to tolerating them. Why is that in our interest?
John, King's Lynn, UK

Does David of Israel's comments truely represent those of the Israeli population? I doubt it, I don't believe that the Israelis can be so arrogant and blind. It is time that the Israeli administration respected life of all and not just the Israeli Jews and considered peace for its country instead of a continuing series of wars. Israel has never truly wanted peace and this is clear from its refusal to honestly negotiate with its opposition and to abide by its international agreements and comply with United Nations rulings. Remember that Britain in the end had to negotiate with Sinn Fein for peace. Maybe one day, the USA and Israel will realise that diplomacy and negotiation is the only way forward for all in the area. And finally, shame on Bush and on Blair for supporting the unnecessary killings of civilians and the destruction of Lebanon.
Peter, Spain