EU Council President Reaffirms Support for Israel's Right to Exist
What happened
Antonio Costa, President of the European Council, issued a statement on October 7, 2026, marking the third anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel. Costa stated that the EU will never forget the October 7 attacks and their victims, emphasizing that nothing can justify such terrorism. He reaffirmed the European Union's commitment to defending Israel's right to exist in peace and security. The statement was made in Brussels.
Context and assessment
The statement represents a formal reaffirmation of EU institutional support for Israel at a symbolic moment—the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 attacks that killed hundreds and prompted Israel's military response in Gaza. EU positions on Israel-Palestine have remained contested internally, with member states holding varied views on proportionality and humanitarian concerns. Costa's statement emphasizes the EU's baseline position on Israel's legitimacy and security while notably avoiding specific commentary on current operational conduct or humanitarian issues. Such commemorative statements typically reflect institutional consensus at the Council level, though individual member states have taken more varied positions on Gaza-related matters.
Sources and confidence
Reported via X account @Osint613, the primary available source. Single-source reporting limits cross-confirmation; the statement's authenticity would be strengthened by confirmation from official EU Council communications channels or major news wire services. Confidence score of 6.0 reflects the statement's plausibility and Costa's position, offset by reliance on a single social media source rather than primary institutional documentation.
Location
Brussels, Belgium, where the European Council is headquartered. The coordinates indicate the city center. No specific venue was identified; the statement was likely issued through official Council communications channels from the institution's premises in the Belgian capital.
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