Israel-Europe Relations in an Era of Uncertainty
Israel-Europe Relations in an Era of Uncertainty
The relationship between Israel and Europe has long been defined by a striking paradox: deep interdependence paired with acute political friction. Europe remains Israel’s largest trading partner and a vital collaborator in scientific research, tech innovation, and higher education. However, recent debates over the EU-Israel Association Agreement, intensifying pressure from individual European capitals over humanitarian concerns and settlement expansions, and a widening divide over diplomatic frameworks have tested the limits of this historic alliance. This online panel brings together leading scholars to examine the current trajectory of European-Israeli relations. The discussion will unpack whether the partnership can survive its mounting ideological disagreements, how bilateral trade and security cooperation are adapting on the ground, and what role European nations can genuinely play as Middle East diplomatic brokers moving forward.
Speakers:
Dr. Irena Kalhousová is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University in Prague and serves as the Head of the Herzl Center for Israel Studies. Her research primarily examines the impact of trauma on foreign policy formation, and she further specializes in Israel and its relationships with Central European countries and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She has published in various journals, including International Affairs, Cooperation and Conflict, the European Journal of International Relations, and East European Politics. In addition to her academic work, she regularly contributes expert commentary on Israeli politics and the Middle East for Czech and international media. Irena holds a PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
Dr. Maya Sion-Tzidkiyahu is an adjunct lecturer at the European Forum of the Hebrew University; her main areas of research and teaching are the European Union (EU) – history, institutions, decision-making processes, policy fields; EU-Israel relations; differentiated integration. She is also the Director of the Program on Israel-Europe Relations at Mitvim - The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies and the Co-President of the Israeli Association for the Study of European Integration (IASEI).
The relationship between Israel and Europe has long been defined by a striking paradox: deep interdependence paired with acute political friction. Europe remains Israel’s largest trading partner and a vital collaborator in scientific research, tech innovation, and higher education. However, recent debates over the EU-Israel Association Agreement, intensifying pressure from individual European capitals over humanitarian concerns and settlement expansions, and a widening divide over diplomatic frameworks have tested the limits of this historic alliance. This online panel brings together leading scholars to examine the current trajectory of European-Israeli relations. The discussion will unpack whether the partnership can survive its mounting ideological disagreements, how bilateral trade and security cooperation are adapting on the ground, and what role European nations can genuinely play as Middle East diplomatic brokers moving forward.
Speakers:
Dr. Irena Kalhousová is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Charles University in Prague and serves as the Head of the Herzl Center for Israel Studies. Her research primarily examines the impact of trauma on foreign policy formation, and she further specializes in Israel and its relationships with Central European countries and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She has published in various journals, including International Affairs, Cooperation and Conflict, the European Journal of International Relations, and East European Politics. In addition to her academic work, she regularly contributes expert commentary on Israeli politics and the Middle East for Czech and international media. Irena holds a PhD in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
Dr. Maya Sion-Tzidkiyahu is an adjunct lecturer at the European Forum of the Hebrew University; her main areas of research and teaching are the European Union (EU) – history, institutions, decision-making processes, policy fields; EU-Israel relations; differentiated integration. She is also the Director of the Program on Israel-Europe Relations at Mitvim - The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies and the Co-President of the Israeli Association for the Study of European Integration (IASEI).