EU Considers Sanctions Against Israel Over Gaza Actions and Humanitarian Crisis
On Wednesday, the European Commission officially proposed a series of stringent measures in response to Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip and the severe humanitarian crisis developing there.
The proposed steps include suspending certain trade preferences and mechanisms that were previously established under the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
Specifically, the commission suggests temporarily halting specific trade provisions that grant Israel special trading regimes with the European Union.
Additionally, the plan involves suspending direct financial support for various Israeli projects, with exceptions made for initiatives supporting civil society and the Yad Vashem memorial center.
This decision follows a thorough review of Israel’s compliance with Article 2 of the Association Agreement, which outlines core values and principles guiding bilateral cooperation.
The commission concludes that Israel’s military actions and aggressive military operations in Gaza constitute violations of fundamental human rights and democratic principles, thereby granting the EU the legal right to suspend the agreement unilaterally if the situation does not improve.