Conflits régionaux en cours au Moyen-Orient - Les autorités israéliennes mettent en garde contre les sanctions potentielles de l'UE pour la première fois.
En Europe, des sanctions potentielles contre certains responsables du gouvernement israélien sont envisagées pour la première fois. Le haut représentant de l'Union pour les affaires étrangères et la politique de sécurité, Josep Borrell, a proposé des sanctions contre le ministre des Finances Bezalel Smotrich et le ministre de la Police Itamar Ben-Gvir lors d'une réunion des ministres des Affaires étrangères à Bruxelles. Ils sont suspectés de violations des droits de l'homme et d'incitation à la haine.
Ben-Gvir a récemment appelé à suspendre les livraisons d'aide à la bande de Gaza afin de mettre la pression sur le groupe militant au pouvoir, Hamas, pour qu'il se rende.
De manière similaire, Smotrich a suggéré d'imposer un blocus des fournitures humanitaires jusqu'à la libération de tous les otages israéliens détenus par Hamas, même si cela entraînait la mort de deux millions d'habitants de la bande de Gaza en raison de la famine. Cependant, il a reconnu que la communauté internationale ne permettrait pas une telle action.
Actuellement, Hamas détient plus de 100 otages, un tiers étant suspectés d'avoir péri. Le 7 octobre dernier, des terroristes palestiniens ont enlevé plus de 250 personnes en Israël, entraînant la perte d'environ 1 200 vies dans cet acte de terrorisme sans précédent. L'armée israélienne a répliqué avec des attaques puissantes sur Gaza, avec des rapports faisant état de plus de 40 000 morts.
La ministre des Affaires étrangères allemande, Annalena Baerbock, reste indécise quant à l'accord de l'Allemagne.
Il reste incertain si et quand la proposition de Borrell se matérialisera. Les décisions relatives aux sanctions au sein de l'UE nécessitent une approbation unanime, et des pays comme l'Allemagne, la République tchèque et la Hongrie ont exprimé des scepticisme quant à l'imposition de sanctions contre Israël jusqu'à présent.
During the EU meeting, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock did not outright reject the plans but mentioned that they should only be enacted if legal grounds and accusations against the politicians were sufficient.
If executed, affected individuals could face prohibitions from entering the EU, along with frozen assets within it.
Diplomats in Brussels argue that de-escalating the Middle East conflict should be prioritized over imposing sanctions on the ministers. They remark that jeopardizing dialogue channels with the Israeli government through sanctions might be counterproductive. Thus far, the EU has only imposed sanctions on select radical Israeli settlers and their affiliated structures. Both Smotrich and Ben-Gvir are also advocates of settler policy in occupied territories in the West Bank, which is viewed as illegal by the highest UN court.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz strongly criticized Borrell's proposal, warning against potential anti-Israel decisions driven by "anti-Israel elements." He emphasized the threat to Israel from Iran and its proxy terrorist organizations and urged the free world to support Israel rather than confront it.
Borrell responded on Thursday, stating that certain Israeli ministers had disseminated intolerable hate speech against Palestinians and proposed actions that violated international law and amounted to incitement to commit war crimes. He suggested that the EU should employ its tools unhindered to uphold respect for humanitarian international law.
Pressure on the EU is growing
Recent calls for a shift in the EU's stance towards Israel have gained traction. Human rights organization Amnesty International also demanded stringent European sanctions due to Israel's settlement policy prior to the EU foreign ministers' meeting.
In a letter to the attendees, Amnesty International urged a universal arms embargo and a ban on investments in certain Israeli companies and banks. Additionally, it recommended that the EU prohibit trade in goods originating from Israeli settlements in occupied territories, including East Jerusalem.
Human rights advocates cited the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) July ruling on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories as the basis for their demands. The highest UN court maintains that Israel's occupation is illegal and should be brought to an end as soon as possible.
Israel seized the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War and has maintained its occupation ever since. Palestinians regard these territories as essential components of their future state. Although Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, it continues to regulate access via land, air, and sea. The subsequent Gaza conflict following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, has further heightened tensions.
The Czech Republic, like Germany and Hungary, has expressed skepticism towards imposing sanctions on Israel, as decisions on sanctions within the EU require unanimous approval. The tension in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas has led to Israel seizing the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the 1967 Six-Day War, and these territories are regarded as essential components of Palestinians' future state by them.
