EU Commission presents extensive penalties targeting Israel
European Union Proposes Sanctions Against Israel Over Gaza Strip Conflict
The European Commission has taken a strong stance against Israel's military offensive in the Gaza Strip, believing that it violates human rights and international humanitarian law. In response, the Commission has proposed a series of sanctions against Israel, aiming to pressure the country to change its course of action.
At the heart of these sanctions are two Israeli ministers: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who have been accused of human rights violations and incitement to hatred. The specifics of these proposed sanctions against the ministers have not been detailed in the article.
The EU's proposed sanctions also extend to the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas, which is accused of starting the Gaza war by carrying out a terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The details of these proposed sanctions against Hamas are also not included in the article.
One of the key proposed sanctions is the withdrawal of trade preferences, which would mean Israeli imports would lose their preferential access to the EU market and be subject to tariffs at the same level as those applied to other countries without a free trade agreement with the EU. This decision would affect 37 percent of Israel's exports to the EU, making the EU Israel's most important trading partner.
The total trade volume in goods between the EU and Israel in 2024 was 42.6 billion euros, with the EU's exports to Israel valued at 26.7 billion euros and its imports from Israel valued at 15.9 billion euros. The withdrawal of trade preferences could significantly impact this trade relationship.
EU Council President António Costa stated that Europe cannot accept the measures taken by the Israeli government in Gaza and the West Bank, which go far beyond Israel's legitimate right to self-defense. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for an immediate ceasefire, unhindered access for humanitarian aid, and the release of all hostages held by Hamas.
However, the adoption of these proposed sanctions is not guaranteed. Approval of 15 of the 27 EU countries, representing at least 65 percent of the EU's total population, is required for the sanctions to be adopted. However, it remains uncertain whether the Brussels initiative will have any effect due to potential opposition from countries like Germany and Italy.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has criticized the EU Commission's proposed sanctions, describing them as "morally and politically distorted" and expressing hope that they would not be adopted. The EU Commission's decision to freeze funds earmarked for Israel from an EU pot for international cooperation does not require the approval of the EU member states. This decision was announced by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen the previous week.
The proposed sanctions also include punitive measures against extremist Israeli ministers and settlers. The aim of these sanctions is to pressure Israel to change its course of action in the Gaza Strip. The European Commission's proposed far-reaching sanctions against Israel have been criticized as 'disproportionate' and 'unprecedented' by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.
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