Escalating conflict in Gaza leads to Brussels contemplating sanctions against Israel
The European Commission is set to present a sanctions package against Israel during a College meeting, aiming to address the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The proposed measures include suspending certain trade provisions under the EU-Israel Euro-Mediterranean Agreement, sanctioning extremist government ministers and violent settlers, and proposing a partial suspension of the Association Agreement on trade-related matters.
However, Germany, one of Israel's staunchest defenders within the EU, has been identified as the biggest obstacle to the implementation of these sanctions. Germany's leaders, who feel they owe a historic debt to Israel due to Nazi Germany's role in the Holocaust, have not yet decided when they will take a position in the EU negotiations on sanctions against Israel.
The retaliation began after Hamas militants killed some 1,200 people on Israeli soil on Oct. 7, 2023 and took around 250 hostages into Gaza. In response, Israel launched a ground offensive in Gaza City late Monday, escalating its campaign against Hamas after weeks of heavy bombardment.
According to Gaza's health ministry, which is under the Hamas-run government, more than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's assault. The United Nations Commission concluded in a report published Tuesday that Israel has been committing genocide in the Gaza Strip.
The European Commission's top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, has stated she will push Germany to 'bring alternatives' if it won't agree to proposed measures. Kallas and Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič will provide further details during a press conference Wednesday.
If Germany had agreed to proposed measures in the past or agrees now, it could potentially put pressure on Israel and improve the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The measures, if approved by EU member countries, would be a clear political signal of Brussels' growing disapproval of Israel's conduct in Gaza.
The proposals for sanctions against Israel were first outlined by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her annual State of the Union speech in Strasbourg last week. The measures require approval by EU member countries, a difficult hurdle to clear given deep divisions in the bloc over the Middle East.
The sanctions also involve sanctioning extremist government ministers and violent settlers. U.N. agencies and independent experts consider the ministry's casualty records as generally reliable.
The European Commission's presentation of sanctions against Israel on Wednesday marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to address the conflict in the region. The outcome of the negotiations remains uncertain, but the proposed measures underscore the international community's growing concern over the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
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