EU Lays Out New Tariff, Sanctions on Israel over War in Gaza
The European Union laid out Wednesday its toughest plan yet to pressure Israel to end the war in Gaza as Palestinians fled en masse from Israeli tanks, drones and troops pushing deeper into the coastal enclave ravaged by 23 months of war.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy chief, urged the 27 member nations to increase tariffs on some Israeli goods and impose sanctions on 10 Hamas leaders, Israeli settlers, and two members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet: National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
“We are proposing this measures not to punish Israel or Israel people, but to really try to pressure Israeli government to change course and to end the human suffering in Gaza,” Kallas said, Reuters reported.
“The war needs to end, the suffering must stop, and all hostages must be released.”
The sanctions would freeze any of the individuals’ European assets and ban travel within the EU.
The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner, so the tariffs might have far-reaching effects on Israel’s economy, which is already rattled by the cost of a long war. Roughly 32 million euros ($37.5 million) in bilateral funds controlled by the European Commission would be immediately suspended. The commission also gives support to the Palestinian Authority.
Israel denies there is starvation in Gaza and says it allows in enough humanitarian aid.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen vowing that Israel will buck the European campaign.
