Does Israel face a ‘South Africa moment’ over Gaza?

As the war in Gaza is overcome, the international isolation of Israel seems to deepen.

Does a combination of political pressure, economic, sports and cultural boycotts approach a “moment of South Africa” ​​in which Pretoria helps to give up apartheid?

Otherwise, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu right -wing government can ventilate the diplomatic storm and free Israel to follow its goals in Gaza and the occupied West Bank?

Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert, two former prime minister, accused Netanyahu of making Israel a international pariah.

Thanks to an order given by the International Criminal Court, the number of countries that Netanyahu could travel without the risk of arrest has decreased significantly.

In the UN, many countries, including England, France, Australia, Belgium and Canada, said that they plan to recognize Palestine as a state next week.

And the Gulf countries react angrily Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar last TuesdayHe is gathered to discuss a combined response in Doha, some of them invite countries to rethink countries that like Israel.

However, the hunger images from Gaza during the summer and the Israeli army, to invade the Gaza City – and probably destroy – show more and more European government in a way that goes beyond expressions.

At the beginning of the month, Belgium announced a series of sanctions, including imports from illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the review of purchasing policies with Israeli companies and the Belgian assistance restrictions on the settlements.

In addition, two harsh Israeli government ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, together with Jewish settlers accused of violence against the Palestinians in the West Bank, declared Persona Non Gara.

Other countries, including England and France, had already taken similar steps. However, the sanctions on the violent settlers imposed by Biden administration last year were scrapped on the first day of Donald Trump’s White House.

One week after the movement of Belgium, Spain transforms an existing actual weapon embargo into laws, announced a partial ban, prevented the entry into the Spanish territory for everyone who participated in the genocide or war crimes in Gaza, and prohibited the Israeli ports or carrying arms by entering the airspace.

Israel’s warrior Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused Spain of advancement of anti -Semitic policies, and claimed that Spain would suffer more than Israel’s arms trade ban.

But there are other worrying signs for Israel.

In August, Norway’s large 2 TN (1.7tn euro; 1.6tn £) announced that it will begin to disposal from companies listed in Israel. In the middle of the month, 23 companies were removed and Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg said more.

Meanwhile, the EU, the largest trade partner of Israel, plans to sanction with far -right ministers and to suspend the trade elements of the association agreement with Israel.

In his speech of 10 September, the EU Commission President Ursula von Der Luyen said that the events in Gaza were “shaken by the conscience of the world.”

A day later, 314 former European diplomats and authorities wrote to Kaja Kalllas, EU foreign policy chief, including the full suspension of the association agreement.

A feature of sanctions levels in South Africa between the 1960s – racial discrimination and discrimination policy implemented by the white minority government in South Africa against the black majority of the country – a series of cultural and athletes in the 1990s were boycott.

Again, there are signs that this is happening with Israel.

The Eurovision Song Contest may not sound like an important event in this context, but Israel has a long and famous history in competition and has won four times since 1973.

Participation for Israel is the symbol of the adoption of the Jewish state among the nation family.

However, Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia If Israel is allowed to compete, they will retreat in 2026With an expected decision in December.

In Hollywood, the boycott of Israeli production companies, festivals and publishers “a letter” against the Palestinian people and Apartheid “, including a house names such as Emma Stone and Javier Bardem attracted more than 4,000 signatures per week.

Tzvika Gottlieb, CEO of the Israeli Film and TV Producers Association, described the petition as “deeply directed”.

“Creators aiming at various narratives and developing dialogue – these signs undermine their own reasons and try to silence us.” He said.

Then there is sports. Vuelta de Espaana bicycle race was broken over and over again by groups protesting the presence of the Israeli-Premier Tech team, forced a scattered, early end and podium ceremony on Saturday.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described protests as a “pride” source, but opposition politicians said that government actions cause international shame.

In addition, seven Israeli chess players in Spain were said to compete under their flags after a tournament.

The Israeli government’s reaction to the media that the media already called “diplomatic tsunami” would often challenge.

Netanyahu accused the Prime Minister’s country that he could not stop the attack of Israel in Gaza on his own, lacking the prime minister’s nuclear bombs, aircraft carriers or large oil reserves in Gaza.

After explaining the Belgian sanctions, Gideon Saar wrote to X that “Israel could not resist anti -Israel obsessions even while fighting an existential threat in Europe.”

However, there is a deep concern between those who represent Israel abroad.

Israel’s Ambassador to Germany from 2017 to 2021, Jeremy Isemysacharoff, said that Israel could not remember that the international stance of Israel was “broken”, but most of the movements inevitably “sad” because they inevitably target all Israel.

“Instead of choosing the government’s policies, it alienates a large number of Israelis in the secondaryok.”

He said that some steps, such as recognizing the Palestinian province, can prove that he was productive against people like Smotrich and I gave ammunition to people like Gvir and even improved their arguments on additional arguments. [the West Bank]”.

Despite his fears, the former ambassador does not believe that the diplomatic insulation of Israel is irreversible.

“We are not at a time in South African, but we are in a possible foreword for a moment of South African,” he said.

Others believe that there is a need for a deeper change to stop Israel from shifting towards the Pariah status.

Ilan Baruch, another former diplomat, said, “We must regain our place in the family of nations.” He said.

“We need to go back to our senses.”

Ten years after the end of Apartheid, Baruch, an ambassador in South Africa, resigned from diplomatic service in 2011 and said he could no longer defend Israel’s profession. He has been a vocal critic of the government since he retired and a supporter of a two -state solution.

He believes that the latest sanctions are necessary: ​​”South Africa was pushed to his knees.”

“I can say that the ambitious pressure on Israel should be welcomed in every way they believe is at the disposal of Europeans.”

If necessary, he said that it should contain changes in visa regimes and cultural boycotts: “I’m ready for pain.”

But for all the expressions of anger and pressure speech, some experienced observers doubt that Israel is on the edge of a diplomatic gap.

“Those who want to go to the Spanish road are still contrary,” a former Israeli peace negotiator Daniel Levy said to me.

The authority said that the efforts to take collective action within the EU – the association agreement, or even some suggested that some of the EU’s horizon research and innovation program – it is not possible to receive sufficient support with Germany, Italy and Hungary.

Israel also has the loyal support of the US, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, Washington’s “relationship with Israel will remain strong,” he goes to an official visit.

Levy believes that Israel’s international isolation is “irreversible”, but it means that the constant support of the Trump administration has not yet reached the point where the events in Gaza can change the course of events.

Net Netanyahu comes off the road, Lev Levy said. “But we haven’t hit the end of the road yet.”