Two years after the genocide in Gaza.. How has the influence of the Zionist lobby eroded?

The traditional influence of the Zionist lobby within the institutions of the European Union and parliaments in Europe has seen a noticeable decline since the onset of the Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.

The European scene reveals a clear shift in decisions against the policies of the Israeli occupying state, an increase in parliamentary calls to restrict trade and research cooperation, and the imposition of sanctions on settlers and Israeli officials, alongside decisions to ban or review arms exports in several countries.

The lobby continues to rely on pressure tools in Brussels, such as the European Jewish Congress and the American Jewish Committee's Transatlantic Institute, as well as 'Friends of Israel' networks, but it now faces unprecedented internal European divisions and legal, media, and public pressure, which has diminished its ability to form a European consensus similar to what is happening in Washington.

The European Jewish Congress establishes its headquarters in Brussels as a representative umbrella for Jewish communities, regularly communicating with EU governments and institutions, and announcing its work on issues of anti-Semitism and Middle Eastern policies.

Its presence is evident in European transparency records with clear addresses in the capital, with activities extending to Strasbourg and Paris, as clarified by the European Jewish Congress and LobbyFacts.

The American Jewish Committee's Transatlantic Institute operates an active office in Brussels that communicates with EU and NATO officials and diplomatic missions, issuing statements regarding Iran, combating anti-Semitism, and Middle Eastern issues.

Local entities like the European Jewish Association operate within 'European Jewish Communities' in Brussels for training and building relationships with parliamentarians and crafting tailored lobbying messages for parliamentary committees.

The European lobby relies on policy memos directed at decision-makers, uses media campaigns and relationships with editors-in-chief, and invests in Holocaust events as a moral pressure entry point.

For his part, Ali Aghwan, a professor of international relations, stated that the Zionist lobby in Europe possesses a wide and multi-channel network, combining organizational work, advocacy, and support for certain human rights issues.

Before October 7, 2023, the lobby had increasing influence, solidifying its power through politics, media, and economics in Britain, France, and Germany.

An example in France is the media empire run by Vincent Bolloré, where CNews rose to the top of the news channels by mid-2024.

While its coverage faced increasing organizational and parliamentary scrutiny, this example does not encapsulate the French scene but illustrates how the media environment intertwines with political pressure spaces.

The opening and expansion of Jewish organizations and transatlantic arms in Brussels enhance the lobby's presence within parliamentary committees and the circles of the Commission and the European External Action Service.

Aghwan clarified that this lobby operates through various tools, including influencing the course of certain legislations, supporting electoral campaigns, and tarnishing the image of politicians who oppose Israeli policies.

He noted that despite all the exposure caused by the war on Gaza, 'this lobby remains strong and capable of distorting some facts and directing discussions within the corridors of European decision-making.'

Thus, parliamentary decisions are transformed into direct platforms for forming supportive blocs within 'Friends of Israel' in the European Parliament.

The diplomatic path is propelled through intensive communication with EU missions and national foreign ministries, holding regular bilateral meetings, and coordinating joint messages during crises.

After October 7, 2023, a different scene emerged as the Gaza War of 2023 altered the roadmap that the Zionist influence machine had long followed in Europe.

This roadmap, whose first lines were drawn by Theodor Herzl as he knocked on the doors of European palaces dreaming of a homeland for the Jews in Palestine, later transformed into a practical project with generous support from the Rothschild family, whose influence extended beyond money to the corridors of high politics and diplomacy.

Between the pen of the thinker and the papers of finance, the foundations of the Zionist lobby were built in European capitals, making the Israeli presence in Brussels, Paris, and London seem self-evident for decades.

However, the winds of the recent war revealed deep cracks in this influence and reshaped Europeans' perceptions of the entire Zionist project, not as a victim, but as a colonial force that is now at stake.

Israel's popular standing in Europe is declining to record levels, with a YouGov poll on June 3, 2025, showing the lowest levels of positive perception of Israel in Western Europe since measurements began.

Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, Spain, and Britain recorded sharply negative figures, confirming support rates that do not exceed twenty percent in most published samples.

In contrast, the academic