EU lawmakers have called to sanction two “extremist” Israeli ministers and curb trade ties over the conflict in Gaza, backing up a push from European Commission boss Ursula von der Leyen, AFP reports.

The EU chief said in her keynote annual address to the European Parliament that she would propose those steps — putting the ball in the court of the bloc’s member states.

But it will be very difficult to get the measures through, given deep divisions between the European Union’s 27 countries over Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.

The European Parliament said it had voted a non-binding resolution that “endorses the commission president’s decision to suspend EU bilateral support to Israel, and to partially suspend the EU-Israel agreement as regards trade”.

It said it also “calls for sanctions” on Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.