The European Commission will propose sanctioning extremist Israeli ministers and the suspension of trade-related measures in a European Union agreement with Israel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said, Reuters reports.
The proposals, announced by von der Leyen in a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, reflect growing EU criticism of Israel’s conduct of its invasion of Gaza and increased pressure on the bloc’s executive body to take action.
The proposals would need broad or unanimous support among the EU’s member states, which is likely to be hard to achieve as the bloc is deeply divided on the Middle East. But von der Leyen made clear the proposal was also meant to be a political signal.
“What is happening in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world,” von der Leyen said in her State of the Union speech, an annual address setting out her priorities for the year ahead.
Von der Leyen acknowledged the divisions within Europe on Gaza but pledged the Commission would do what it can on its own.
“We will propose sanctions on the extremist ministers and on violent settlers. And we will also propose a partial suspension of the Association Agreement on trade-related matters,” she said.
