Regional Disputes in the Middle East - The EU's top diplomat suggests imposing penalties on Israel.
The EU's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, has suggested imposing sanctions on some Israeli government officials to various EU nations. The proposed penalties are aimed at Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, as confirmed by multiple EU sources to the German Press Agency before the EU foreign ministers meeting on Thursday.
Smotrich and Ben-Gvir have sparked controversy with their harsh remarks against Palestinians. Being right-wing coalition partners of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they also advocate for the controversial settlement policy in the occupied West Bank, considered illegal by the International Court of Justice.
Recently, Ben-Gvir called for halting aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip to pressure the Hamas-ruling terrorist organization to surrender. In a similar vein, Finance Minister Smotrich suggested halting humanitarian aid until all Israeli hostages held by Hamas are released, regardless of the potential casualties in the Gaza Strip.
Currently, Hamas is holding 107 hostages, with approximately a third believed to be deceased. On October 7 last year, Palestinian terrorists abducted more than 250 people from Israel into the coastal region, resulting in the death of around 1,200 people during the unprecedented terror attack. Israel responded with heavy attacks on Gaza, with estimates suggesting over 40,000 fatalities.
Borrell's proposal suggests that sanctions against Smotrich and Ben-Gvir could be imposed for inciting hatred and violating human rights. Their EU assets would be frozen, and they would be denied entry to the EU.
However, the question of when and if the proposal will be enacted remains uncertain, as EU sanctions require unanimous consent, and states such as Germany, the Czech Republic, and Hungary have historically been critical of Israel-related sanctions.
Brussels diplomats argue that pursuing peace in the Middle East makes it detrimental to jeopardize dialogue with the Israeli government by enforcing sanctions. To date, the EU has only imposed sanctions on some radical Israeli settlers and their linked structures.
The Israeli Foreign Minister has voiced opposition to potential Israel-unfriendly decisions at the EU foreign ministers meeting, describing them as the work of Israel-adverse elements. In the face of a threat from Iran and its terrorist proxies, the minister argues that the free world must stand with Israel.
Pressure to change EU policy towards Israel has been growing, with human rights organization Amnesty International putting forth demands for harsh EU sanctions against Israel's settlement policy before the EU foreign ministers' meeting.
The organization advocates for an arms embargo, a ban on investments in certain Israeli companies and banks, and a prohibition on trading goods from Israeli settlements in occupied territories, including East Jerusalem. Additionally, Amnesty International bases its demands on the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) July ruling, which deems Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories illegal.
Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War, and it has continued to occupy these areas since. Palestinians lay claim to these regions as their future state. Despite withdrawing from Gaza in 2005, Israel maintains control of its borders through land, air, and sea. The ongoing Gaza conflict following the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023, has further fueled the tensions.
The EU is considering imposing sanctions on Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from the EU, as suggested by the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell, due to their controversial actions and rhetoric towards Palestinians. The EU's proposed sanctions against these Israeli officials could potentially include freezing their assets and denying them entry into the EU, if the proposal receives unanimous consent from EU nations.
