Which Western governments support Israel?

Israel has carried out one of its deadliest campaigns on Gaza, dropping over 6,000 bombs on the besieged Palestinian enclave over the past week. 

While Western governments have largely backed Israel, dissenting voices have emerged in London, Washington, and Berlin.

Pro-Palestine protests erupted in many western cities last weekend, urging their governments to uphold international law and cease arming Israel. In some cases, authorities detained or threatened to detain those who participated, with media outlets accusing the protestors of supporting Hamas.

The United States

The US has long been perhaps Israel's strongest supporter, giving it financial and military aid amounting $158 billion since World War II - more than any other nation. Since the 7 October attack by Hamas, Washington has sent top officials, financial, and military aid to Tel Aviv. It has also sent the biggest war ship in the world to the eastern Mediterranean.

US President Joe Biden, who had previously tried to keep a distance from Israel's far-right government, said in a speech at the White House earlier this week: "We stand with Israel … And we will make sure Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself, and respond to this attack."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Netanyahu on Thursday and said: "You may have the strength to defend yourself on your own, but as long as America exists, you will never have to. We will always be there by your side."

While US officials said there are no plans on sending troops to Israel, Congress is expected to approve further aid to the country. Biden is also expected to visit Israel this week.

The UK

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak deployed two Royal Navy ships and surveillance aircraft to support Israel, Downing Street's office said on Thursday. The military package included P8 surveillance planes, other surveillance assets, two auxiliary ships, three Merlin helicopters, and a company of Royal Marines.

British officials, from both the government and opposition, have also repeated Israeli claims about Hamas "beheading babies", without verifying allegations. 

Despite the government's stance, more than 100,000 protesters gathered in London and thousands in other UK cities to decry Israel's brutal campaign on Gaza, which has killed approaching 3,000 people.

With Hamas banned in the UK, any displays of support for the organisation could see offenders end up behind bars.

Ahead of the protests, Home Secretary Suella Braverman told police to also keep an eye out on other non-Hamas related statements, which the government considers to be inflammatory. 

"It is not just explicit pro-Hamas symbols and chants that are cause for concern. I would encourage police to consider whether chants such as: ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ should be understood as an expression of a violent desire to see Israel erased from the world, and whether its use in certain contexts may amount to a racially aggravated section 5 public order offence," Braverman said, referring to a popular slogan calling for the freedom of Palestinians living in Israel and under occupation.

"I would encourage police to give similar consideration to the presence of symbols such as swastikas at anti-Israel demonstrations. Context is crucial. Behaviors that are legitimate in some circumstances, for example, the waving of a Palestinian flag, may not be legitimate, such as when intended to glorify acts of terrorism," Braverman said.

Germany

Germany's central role in the Holocaust - when 6 million Jews were murdered - has seen Berlin have a "special commitment" to Israel since its founding in 1948.

We spoke to Jeanine, a Palestinian activist & organiser for the @palyouthmvmt, about the role people around the world can have in supporting Palestinians in Palestine and their liberation and resistance movement, and denouncing Israel's war crimes and human rights abuses 👇 pic.twitter.com/o3tzssHmF7

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) October 16, 2023

Since the killing of 1,300 Israelis by Hamas on 7 October, Germany has come out strongly in support of Israel.

"At this moment, there is only one place for Germany. That is the side of Israel," Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in an address to the German parliament on Thursday.

Like the UK and the US, Germany has offered Israel military aid and promised to issue a formal ban on activity by or in support of Hamas. Scholz added that groups such as Samidoun, which was behind the weekend demonstrations, will be banned. Videos of German police using violence against demonstrators in Berlin have circulated on social media.

Division in Europe

While the US, the UK, and Germany have doubled down on their support for Israel, the rest of Europe is more divided.

European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen has been under fire since Saturday from EU member states such as Ireland, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, and Denmark due to her trip to Israel and implying unconditional EU support.

France has criticised Von der Leyen, but President Emmanuel Macron reiterated "the need for all to unequivocally condemn the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas in Israel and Israel’s right to defend itself, as well as to eliminate the terrorist groups that have struck at its population".

Spanish ministers have also strongly condemned Israel warning of a genocide in Gaza.