Israel's Western allies pull back amid Gaza escalation

London protesters against Israel's Gaza campaign

'Israel is on the path to becoming a pariah state'

(Image credit: Kristian Buus / In Pictures via Getty Images)

What happened

Britain said Tuesday it was suspending talks with Israel on expanding their free-trade agreement due to the "egregious policies" of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in Gaza and the West Bank. The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said a "huge majority" of EU members supported reconsidering the bloc's trade deal with Israel. The United Nations Wednesday said no food aid had reached its Gaza warehouses despite Netanyahu allowing in a few dozen trucks after an 11-week blockade of humanitarian aid.

Who said what

Tuesday's "steps by London and Brussels" signaled the "shifting attitudes among longtime supporters of Israel" as Netanyahu escalates the assault on Gaza, The Washington Post said. The announcements followed a "rare public reprimand" on Monday from Britain, France and Canada, The New York Times said. The three countries threatened "concrete actions" unless Israel ended its "wholly disproportionate" and "egregious actions" in Gaza.

Netanyahu called the warning a "huge prize" for Hamas. But British Foreign Secretary David Lammy told the U.K. Parliament Tuesday that "opposing the expansion of a war that has killed thousands of children is not rewarding Hamas." He called Israel's aid blockade "cruel and indefensible" and said "the world is judging" Netanyahu's government. Israeli opposition lawmaker Yair Golan told Israeli public radio Tuesday that unless it starts "behaving like a sane country" again, "Israel is on the path to becoming a pariah state."

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What next?

The "mounting pressure from Israel's allies including the U.S." has left Netanyahu "with a dilemma," The Wall Street Journal said: "End the end the conflict and risk the collapse of his government, or plow on and sacrifice international support."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.