EU's Josep Borrell Proposes Sanctions on Israeli Ministers for Hate Messages

Josep Borrell, the EU foreign policy chief, urged the imposition of sanctions on two unnamed Israeli ministers for 'hate messages' against Palestinians. While he criticized Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, the proposal faced mixed reactions from EU member states. A debate has commenced but lacks unanimity.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called for sanctions on two Israeli ministers for issuing 'hate messages' against Palestinians, saying such statements break international law. While Borrell did not identify the ministers, he has recently criticized Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for 'sinister' and 'incitement to war crimes' remarks.

The proposal faced initial discussion at a Thursday meeting in Brussels but has not reached unanimity, which is critical for sanction imposition. 'The ministers will decide. It's up to them, as always. But the process has been launched,' Borrell told reporters, suggesting sanctions for human rights violations that could include travel bans and asset freezes.

In response, Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz denied accusations that he supported the displacement of Palestinians. Diplomats are skeptical about securing unanimous EU agreement for sanctions. Nonetheless, Borrell's move reflects the discontent among some EU officials regarding statements from far-right Israeli ministers. Support for the proposal came from countries like Ireland, while others, like Italy, focused on achieving a ceasefire in Gaza.

(With inputs from agencies.)