Devvy
Donor
This just isn't going to happen for a number of reasons.
1) Israel is definitively not in Europe. While Cyprus, as an island in the Mediterranean may have been able to play ambiguity as it's an island, and due to their historical association as part of Greece, Israel is absolutely in Asia/Middle East and not Europe. It'll be refused for the same reason as Morocco was refused; it's not a European country.
2) It has too many security concerns. While the EU has no de jure common defence, it's pretty much a de facto expectation to at least help a fellow member under attack I'd argue. To not do so would undermine the whole union, and everyone knows it. Israel has too many defence concerns; the EU has enough political dancing to do without needing to think about a country whose neighbours generally deny it's right to exist.
3) If post-1967, the situation of the Palestinians will generally put Israel on the wrong side of the Copenhagen Criteria, which defines (amongst others):
"guarantees democracy, the rule of law, human rights, respect for and protection of minorities,"
I think it's fair to say that the criteria will force a lot of difficult and awkward questions at Israel about it's role in Palestine (no matter where you sit on the whole Israel/Palestine subject).
4) It's a non-Christian country. While this really shouldn't make any difference, there will be small but extremely vocal groups who will protest against it. Anti-semitism most likely, but there are areas where this still exists.
1) Israel is definitively not in Europe. While Cyprus, as an island in the Mediterranean may have been able to play ambiguity as it's an island, and due to their historical association as part of Greece, Israel is absolutely in Asia/Middle East and not Europe. It'll be refused for the same reason as Morocco was refused; it's not a European country.
2) It has too many security concerns. While the EU has no de jure common defence, it's pretty much a de facto expectation to at least help a fellow member under attack I'd argue. To not do so would undermine the whole union, and everyone knows it. Israel has too many defence concerns; the EU has enough political dancing to do without needing to think about a country whose neighbours generally deny it's right to exist.
3) If post-1967, the situation of the Palestinians will generally put Israel on the wrong side of the Copenhagen Criteria, which defines (amongst others):
"guarantees democracy, the rule of law, human rights, respect for and protection of minorities,"
I think it's fair to say that the criteria will force a lot of difficult and awkward questions at Israel about it's role in Palestine (no matter where you sit on the whole Israel/Palestine subject).
4) It's a non-Christian country. While this really shouldn't make any difference, there will be small but extremely vocal groups who will protest against it. Anti-semitism most likely, but there are areas where this still exists.