Israel’s ties with Europe are fraying. Can its election change that?

While marking Israel’s 75th anniversary , Ursula von der Leyen offered solidarity. “Europe and Israel are bound to be friends and allies,” the European Commission president said on April 23, 2023. That friendship reached beyond diplomacy. Israel played international football in Europe, competed in Eurovision and shared intelligence with European governments. Its weapons industry was woven into European production lines. Those ties still exist, but have since become battlegrounds after Israel’s systematic destruction of Gaza, which has killed at least 74,000 Palestinians. European countries have withdrawn from Eurovision over Israel’s participation. European footballers have refused to play the Israeli team.