Late Monday, the European Union backed away from an earlier announcement by EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi that the bloc would “immediately” suspend aid to the Palestinian authorities.
“There will be no suspension of payments for the time being,” a brief statement from the European Commission said late Monday, five hours after EU Commissioner Oliver Varheli said that all payments from the development program for the Palestinians “will be suspended immediately, and that “All projects are under review, and all new budget proposals are postponed until further notice.”
No immediate explanation was given for this decline.
Any statement issued by an EU commissioner is often something the European Commission must always refrain from, but the reversal of a statement suspending 691 million euros ($730 million) in aid marked the end of an embarrassing day for the EU's executive arm at a time of heightened geopolitical sensitivities.
The European Union Commissioner for Enlargement and Good Neighborhood Affairs, Oliver Varhelyi, stated that the European Union has suspended all its aid to the Palestinians and is reviewing joint projects due to the escalation of the conflict with Israel.
On Monday, the Spanish government expressed its "opposition" to the decision announced by the European Commission to suspend its aid to the Palestinians. The Netherlands also confirmed that it will not suspend its financial aid either.
Last Saturday, Hamas launched Operation “ Al-Aqsa Flood ,” during which Israel was targeted with several thousand missiles from the Gaza Strip, and Palestinian fighters also carried out specific operations.
In response, the Israeli army launched Operation Iron Swords, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the Palestinians to leave Gaza , threatening to destroy the Hamas movement and turn Gaza into ruins.
Spain and the Netherlands oppose Brussels' decision to stop aid to the Palestinians.
Eurasia Group Analytical Center: The potential normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel is not on the table
The head of the Analytical Center of the Eurasia Group, political analyst Ian Bremmer, said that the possible agreement to normalize Saudi-Israeli relations is not on the table after the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation.
AFP: The “Al-Aqsa flood” stopped normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia and returned Riyadh to its traditional position
“Fortune” magazine, quoting Ian Bremer, said, “The Israeli government had previously held talks with Saudi Arabia regarding the normalization of diplomatic relations, and the agreement could have been a historic achievement for two major powers in the region, both of which are allies of the United States, after decades.” From the estrangement that amounted to hostility, but after the recent attacks launched by Hamas and Israel’s subsequent declaration of war, this agreement is off the table at the present time.”
Ian Bremmer added that the escalating events in Israel this weekend will have cascading effects on its foreign policy, and thus on the entire Middle East.
Bremer called these attacks "Israeli September 11" because they were sudden, and he said that they were also the first attacks deep inside Israel.
In a blog post published by the Eurasia Group Analytical Center, Bremer said: “The Israeli deal, which was close to the end, has now ended.”
He explained in an analytical note on Monday that because of the unprecedented national security crisis, Israel and Saudi Arabia would be forced to reconsider, and this would leave the Palestinians diplomatically more isolated than they have ever been before.
BBC: The recent escalation may hinder the Israeli-Saudi normalization agreement
He pointed out that since the beginning of the recent events, there has been no official comment from Israel or the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia about the status of the talks between them, which the United States is helping to mediate, speaking in the context of the statement Riyadh issued on Saturday, in which it called for an end to further escalation. She blamed Israel's policies, recalling its repeated warnings of the dangers of the situation exploding as a result of the continued occupation.
Bremer says the latest escalation will make it unpalatable for Israel and Saudi Arabia to seek an agreement. “The Saudi Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks but also said Israel was responsible for them, because of its historical treatment of the Palestinians, which makes open diplomacy impossible for both countries,” he wrote.
The statement, which did not provide "support" for Israel, sparked criticism from US foreign policy officials, as the New York Times reported that Senator Lindsey Graham spoke to a senior Saudi official, telling him: "If you want a normal relationship with the United States, this is not a normal statement." .
Graham also reportedly admonished Saudi Arabia for being in the "cheering section" of Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah group.
The New York Times reported that Saudi Arabia is waiting until now to see how the war between Hamas and Israel will develop before resuming talks, and Riyadh will likely wait to see whether large numbers of Palestinian civilians will die, which may turn public sentiment in the Arab world against Israel.
In this context, Fortune magazine reported that if the Israeli response leads to the death of tens of thousands of Palestinians, Saudi Arabia will find it difficult to justify peace with Israel.