The view of Israel is divided within the EU, although the union as a whole still strongly supports a two-state solution.
Ireland is one of the EU countries that has most sharply criticized how Israel has acted in the Gaza Strip. Foreign Minister Simon Harris still holds a cautious tone upon arrival at Monday's meeting in Brussels.
The most important thing today is that the fragile ceasefire holds, to ensure that humanitarian aid flows in and that (UN's Palestine agency) Unrwa can still be on site and function, says Harris.
Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar also avoids harsh words upon arrival.
We are ready to discuss everything with an open mind. We are used to criticism and that's okay, as long as it doesn't involve delegitimization, demonization, or double standards, says Saar.
Outside the meeting, however, the human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) demands that the EU condemn Israel.
"Everything cannot be 'business as usual' with a government responsible for crimes against humanity, including apartheid and genocide," writes Deputy HRW Director Claudio Francavilla in a press release.
