Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply criticized the European Union, accusing it of applying double standards over its opposition to Israel’s settlement plans in the West Bank while remaining silent about Turkey’s continued occupation of northern Cyprus.
Netanyahu made the remarks in a post on X, in which he praised Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša for opposing a proposed joint EU statement condemning Israel’s plans to build new housing in the E1 area, east of Jerusalem.
“The EU remains silent when Turkey, a NATO member, illegally occupies half of Cyprus, an EU member state. But when the Jewish people want to exercise their historic right to build and live in their ancestral land, the EU is outraged,” Netanyahu said.
He also thanked Janša for what he described as his “courage and clarity,” arguing that Slovenia, as a sovereign and equal EU member, has the right to determine its own position on the issue.
Dispute over Israeli settlement plans
The dispute followed an Israeli government decision to issue a tender for more than 1,200 homes in the E1 area.
The European Union has strongly opposed the plan, warning that construction there could effectively divide the West Bank and further separate East Jerusalem from the rest of the Palestinian territories. The EU considers Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank illegal under international law.
Slovenia’s decision not to support a joint statement prevented the 27 EU member states from reaching the unanimity required for a unified position.
As a result, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas issued a statement on August 23 condemning the Israeli plans, but it was not endorsed by all 27 member states.
The issue has also triggered political tensions inside Slovenia. President Nataša Pirc Musar criticized the government’s position, arguing that international law should not be applied selectively.
Janša defended Slovenia’s decision, saying the country is a sovereign and equal member of the European Union and that its consent is required for a unified EU foreign policy position.
Netanyahu subsequently welcomed Janša’s stance, using the dispute to renew his criticism of the EU’s position toward Israel and to highlight what he described as the bloc’s failure to take comparable action over Turkey’s presence in Cyprus.
