The European Union, losing patience with Israel's defiance in the face of calls to end its West Bank offensive, will consider a range of options tomorrow to exert more than rhetorical pressure on Israel.
But in the end the 15 foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg are not likely to take punitive steps, and certainly not the trade sanctions which have been mooted in recent days.
"I would like to dampen expectations that anything dramatic will come out of the meeting Monday," one EU official said.
The European Parliament called last week on the EU to suspend its six-year-old Association Treaty with Israel. Under this, Israel enjoys preferential trade terms with the bloc, its biggest trading partner.
The parliament's resolution was in some measure a bellwether of European public opinion.
But the parliament vote is not binding on governments, and of the 15 only Belgium has openly suggested suspending the pact.
There has been slightly more support for an extraordinary meeting of the Association Council - which oversees the agreement - to give Israel a dressing-down over its operation.
But even this option - championed by the European Commission - is unlikely because of concern among Israel's closest European allies that it would jeopardise the influence the EU has in Middle East affairs.
"Contacts, pressure and dialogue are important right now," said one diplomat, dubbing proposals for punitive steps against Israel "unhelpful gesture politics."
"I would expect the foreign ministers to talk about how the EU can contribute to relieving this crisis," he added.