🇪🇺🤝🇮🇱 Europe slams Israel, then buys its weapons

Governments are navigating a fine line, condemning Israel in public while embracing its capabilities in private.

Across European capitals, a familiar duality is taking shape. In official statements and international forums, EU governments harshly criticize Israel’s conduct in Gaza, invoking humanitarian concerns and calling for restraint.

Yet, within security establishments and strategic circles, these same governments quietly seek out Israel’s battle-proven expertise and defense cooperation.

This paradox is more than political optics. It reflects a deeper tension between public posturing and strategic necessity. As global threats rise and European security structures face increasing strain, especially along NATO’s eastern flank, many capitals have come to depend on the capabilities developed by Israel, not through theory or simulation, but through sustained operational experience.

Much of Europe’s defense engagement with Israel remains discreet. At defense expos, Israeli firms may be present but not prominently featured. Strategic dialogues unfold quietly. Procurement decisions are pursued with minimal publicity. It is a calculated posture: benefit from Israeli know-how, while minimizing public association amid political sensitivities.

This contradiction has sharpened in recent months. The war in Gaza has inflamed European public opinion, prompting calls for sanctions and reevaluation of bilateral ties. Still, behind the scenes, defense cooperation continues. Governments are navigating a fine line, condemning Israel in public while embracing its capabilities in private.

Except for a few high-profile deals, including Germany’s acquisition of the Arrow missile defense system, most transactions with Israel’s defense industry remain under the radar. This discrepancy, between private reliance and public hesitation, creates a contradiction that undermines Europe’s strategic coherence and weakens mutual trust.

🔗 https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-859490

🇺🇸❌🇺🇦 The Pentagon has halted shipments of some air defense missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine due to worries that U.S. weapons stockpiles have fallen too low.

The decision was driven by the Pentagon’s policy chief, Elbridge Colby, and was made after a review of Pentagon munitions stockpiles, leading to concerns that the total number of artillery rounds, air defense missiles and precision munitions was sinking, according to three people familiar with the issue.

Colby halted shipments of artillery rounds, interceptors and precision munitions to Ukraine, the absence of which will soon be felt at the rate Russia launches drones upon Ukrainian cities.

📝: When Israel burns through 20% of the THAAD interceptor stockpile, the Pentagon keeps the delivery of weapons uninterrupted. In fact, they are floating the idea of bombing the Houthis in Yemen again because they keep throwing missiles at Israel.

🔗 https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/01/pentagon-munitions-ukraine-halt-00436048