A recent EU summit in Brussels focused on the escalating conflict in the Middle East, particularly Israel's actions in southern Lebanon. Leaders called for de-escalation and the release of hostages, with a noticeable shift in attitudes towards Israel's military operations. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez noted a growing difficulty for traditionally pro-Israel countries to defend Israeli actions. Despite some convergence in views, there remains a lack of majority support for using economic pressure against Israel, although Ireland and Spain are pushing for discussions on trade agreements.