EU to propose sanctions on Israel
The EU's diplomatic service is expected to present a list of options to EU ambassadors on Wednesday. Among the options are reportedly a partial or full suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, sanctions on Israeli government ministers, military officials and extremist settlers, trade restrictions, an arms embargo, and the suspension of scientific cooperation.
While most of these measures have been discussed informally in the past, this is the first time they will be laid out formally in writing, Euractiv reported. EU foreign ministers are said to be scheduled to review the proposals on July 15.
Any move to impose sanctions on Israel would require the unanimous support of all 27 EU member states, which is widely seen as unlikely. Hungary, for instance, has been a consistent backer of the Jewish state, blocking EU sanctions on Israeli settlers last year.
According to Euractiv, the document follows an internal EU review of the Association Agreement last month, which found 'indications of a breach' of Israel's human rights commitments. Israel has strongly rejected the review. Its Foreign Ministry said it 'should not be taken seriously' while arguing that the country was 'engaged in an existential struggle by defending against the shared enemies of the West.'
In late June, the European Council called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza while sounding the alarm about 'the unacceptable number of civilian casualties and the levels of starvation.' The Council also urged Israel to fully lift its blockade on Gaza to allow humanitarian aid to flow in. Although Israel claimed to have done so, numerous media outlets reported little real change on the ground.
There are currently no EU sanctions imposed on Israel. However, the EU has in the past sanctioned certain Israeli individuals and organizations, mainly those it described as 'extremist' settlers in the West Bank who were allegedly involved in violence against Palestinian residents.
After Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel in 2023, the latter retaliated with a military operation in Gaza, which led to unprecedented destruction. Around 60,000 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis were killed in the fighting, according to official figures.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
8 hours ago
- Russia Today
No weapons for Kiev over Christian church persecution
Kiev's persecution of the country's largest Christian church is reason enough for Washington to halt military assistance to Ukraine, US Representative Anna Paulina Luna has said, pledging to personally oppose any future weapons shipments. The Florida Republican accused Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky of banning the Orthodox Church in a post on X on Friday, apparently referring to ongoing actions against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) – the largest religious organization in the country. 'I can promise there will be no weapons funding for you,' wrote Luna, who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. 'We are not your piggy bank,' she added, calling on Zelensky to 'negotiate for peace' instead. Oh man. The Ukraine bots are big mad about this one. 'It WaS OKaY bc IT waS Russian OrThODox.' 🤡 All of a sudden these pro-war shills are religion experts and also telepathic, as they are CERTAIN not one Christian went to those churches to worship God. Imagine if we did that in… Kiev has accused the UOC of maintaining ties with Moscow to justify its crackdown, although the church declared its independence from the Russian Orthodox Church in May 2022. Responding to criticism in the comments under her post, Luna added, 'The Ukraine bots are big mad about this one.' 'All of a sudden these pro-war shills are religion experts and also telepathic, as they are CERTAIN not one Christian went to those churches to worship God. Imagine if we did that in the States. Hypocrites,' she said. According to Ukraine Oversight, an official US government portal tracking aid disbursements, Washington allocated a total of $182.8 billion in assistance to Ukraine between 2022 and the end of 2024. In May, President Donald Trump expressed concern over what he described as billions of dollars being wasted on Ukraine aid. He said Congress was 'very upset about it' and that lawmakers were demanding answers about how the money was being spent. Earlier this week, the Pentagon reportedly halted shipments of certain weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, citing the need to review remaining stockpiles as part of Trump's 'America First' policy. Kiev's persecution of the canonical Orthodox Church has received limited attention from US politicians and public figures. In late May, American journalist Tucker Carlson raised the issue in an interview with former Ukrainian MP Vadim Novinsky. 'I think very few Americans understand the degree to which the Ukrainian government under Zelensky has persecuted the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,' Carlson said during the broadcast. Years of state pressure on the church have included the arrests of clergymen and raids on monasteries, including a high-profile incident at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where religious relics are kept. Last year, Zelensky signed legislation allowing the government to ban religious organizations deemed affiliated with so-called 'aggressor' states, effectively targeting the UOC. Earlier this week, he also stripped the church's senior bishop, Metropolitan Onufry, of his citizenship, citing his previously acquired Russian passport.
Russia Today
9 hours ago
- Russia Today
Member state blocks EU's new Russia sanctions
Slovakia has blocked the EU's 18th round of sanctions targeting Russia for the second time due to concerns about the planned phase-out of Russian energy, Slovak media has reported, citing the Foreign Ministry. According to TASR news agency, Bratislava vetoed the package on Friday during a vote by the EU's Committee of Permanent Representatives. The ministry said Slovakia will continue to oppose the package until it receives firm guarantees from Brussels that the phase-out will not harm its economy. The dispute centers on the European Commission's RePowerEU plan, which aims to eliminate Russian energy imports by 2028. The plan is being discussed alongside the new sanctions package targeting Russia's energy and financial sectors. While Brussels reportedly plans to present the phase-out as trade legislation – requiring only a qualified majority – Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico insists it should be treated as sanctions, requiring unanimous approval. The Foreign Ministry said the Slovak authorities, energy companies, and industry leaders consider the phase-out 'a major challenge for the competitiveness of the economy, especially from the perspective of energy prices and energy security.' It added that while Bratislava is open to further talks, the current negotiations have not addressed its 'fundamental concerns and reservations.' It stressed the need for a plan that 'benefits citizens and businesses.' A group of European Commission experts reportedly arrived in Slovakia this week for talks on energy. Fico previously warned that the phase-out would jeopardize energy security and raise prices. He also cited the risk of arbitration with Russia's Gazprom if Slovakia breaks its long-term contract, which could cost up to €20 billion ($23 billion) in penalties. Hungary also opposes the plan. Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said Budapest and Bratislava jointly blocked the package at last week's foreign ministers' meeting, warning that the energy cuts would 'destroy Hungary's energy security' and cause sharp price hikes. The European Commission unveiled its 18th sanctions package in early June, framing it as an attempt to pressure Russia to end the Ukraine conflict. The proposed measures include lowering the Russian oil price cap from $60 to $45 per barrel, banning the future use of the Nord Stream pipeline, restricting imports of refined products made from Russian crude, and sanctioning 77 vessels which the West claims are part of a so-called Russian 'shadow fleet'. The bloc also extended existing sanctions for another six months earlier this week. Moscow has condemned the sanctions, calling them illegal and counterproductive. Russian officials warned that the EU's rejection of Russian energy will force it to rely on costlier imports or rerouted Russian energy via intermediaries, driving up prices.
Russia Today
10 hours ago
- Russia Today
German MPs demand more money for Ukraine
A group of German lawmakers from the Green Party has called on Chancellor Friedrich Merz to urgently increase military aid to Ukraine, warning that the current level of funding is insufficient in light of a slowdown in US arms deliveries, according to a letter obtained by Bild. The letter, signed by Bundestag deputies Robin Wagener, Sara Nanni, Sebastian Schafer and Anton Hofreiter, criticized the federal government's recently announced increase in military assistance from €7.1 billion to €8.3 billion. The lawmakers pointed to the US decision to pause certain weapons shipments to Kiev as a critical factor, arguing that Berlin should raise the figure to at least €8.5 billion and commit to maintaining that level through 2029. The Green MPs, who have been among Kiev's most vocal supporters in the Bundestag, reportedly said the government still had room to maneuver within the approved budget framework and argued that Germany's constitutional limits on debt spending could be sidestepped through special exemptions. Berlin has already sent Kiev almost €16 billion, including €11.2 billion in direct weapons supplies since the escalation of the conflict in 2022, making it the largest single state donor after the US and UK, according to Germany's Kiel Institute. The US reportedly paused deliveries of various critical munitions, including Patriot and Hellfire missiles, GMLRS rockets and 155mm artillery shells, under the Trump administration's 'America First' policy. The exact scale of the winddown remains unclear, as President Trump has insisted the US is still 'sending arms' to Kiev – while ensuring America retains enough stockpiles to defend itself and its allies. Chancellor Merz recently announced plans to increase Germany's overall military budget to €153 billion by 2029, up from €86 billion this year, and pledged to allocate 3.5% of GDP to defense under a new NATO framework to counter what he called a direct threat from Russia. The Kremlin has condemned the EU's militarization efforts and arms transfers to Kiev, describing the conflict as a NATO-led proxy war. President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Western concerns about Russian aggression as 'nonsense,' accusing NATO of using fear to justify ballooning military budgets and blaming the bloc's expansion and 'aggressive behavior' for fueling the crisis. Critics of Germany's government policy warn that continued arms spending could strain the national budget and further damage German industry, already suffering from rising energy costs, fallout from anti-Russia sanctions and the ongoing tariff standoff with the US. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party – which came second in the February elections but was excluded from forming a coalition – has called for an immediate halt to weapons shipments to Kiev and a resumption of energy cooperation with Moscow. On Friday, party leaders urged Merz to initiate direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and pursue a negotiated settlement to the conflict to safeguard Germany's long-term national interests. The Kremlin has stated that it remains open to dialogue with Berlin, but stressed that it is up to the German leadership to take the first step, having previously cut ties. Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron – who had previously supported deploying French troops to Ukraine but recently softened his stance – held a phone call with Putin, their first direct contact in nearly three years.
