EU's Bold Move: Sanctioning Extremist Israeli Ministers

The European Commission plans to sanction extremist Israeli ministers and partially suspend the EU's association agreement with Israel, affecting trade. This follows global concern over the situation in Gaza. The proposal, requiring a qualified majority vote, also impacts EU-Israel bilateral support but maintains ties with Israeli civil society.

In a significant move, the European Commission has announced plans to sanction extremist Israeli ministers and partially suspend the EU's association agreement with Israel, focusing on trade matters. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made this statement during her State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The proposed sanctions are a response to the ongoing situation in Gaza, which has drawn global concern. Von der Leyen acknowledged disagreements within the EU on addressing Israel and Gaza, committing the Commission to act independently. The trade suspension would withdraw preferential treatment for Israeli exports to the EU, requiring a difficult-to-reach qualified majority vote among EU nations.

The Commission also aims to pause bilateral support for Israel, while maintaining engagement with Israeli civil society and Yad Vashem. Despite prior attempts to limit Israeli access to EU research funding failing due to inadequate support, the Commission plans to launch a Palestine Donor Group for Gaza reconstruction. Germany's stance remains crucial in this development.

(With inputs from agencies.)