The Influence of the European Friends of Israel on the Members of the European Parliament

Abstract

This article investigates how and why the European Friends of Israel, the most powerful pro-Israel lobby in Brussels, has worked to influence members of the European Parliament. It puts that the European Friends of Israel's lobbying activities have composed of arranging meetings with senior Israeli politicians and bureaucrats, organizing both policy and public conferences, taking policy initiatives and organizing trips for missions. Within the framework of these activities, the European Friends of Israel has aimed to influence the parliamentarians to take decisions in line with Israel's security interests, such as over Iran's nuclear program or Hamas, and ensure their support for some Israeli policies criticized by the European Union, like the settlements. Given its financial power and well-organized structure, it can be expected that the European Friends of Israel, which is still a relatively new organization, will become more effective in lobbying in defense of Israeli interests.