The European Commission has proposed sanctions against several Israeli Cabinet ministers and violent settlers, alongside a partial suspension of Israel’s trade privileges with the bloc.
Officials in Brussels say the move is aimed at easing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza rather than punishing Israel.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said all member states agree the situation in Gaza is “untenable”:
“The aim is not to punish Israel. The aim is to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The war must end, the suffering must stop, and the hostages must be released.”
She also criticised Israel’s military push into Gaza City, warning that the escalation would only deepen the crisis.
Trade concessions under threat
European Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič explained that the proposal would affect core parts of the Euro-Mediterranean Agreement, meaning Israeli goods would no longer enjoy preferential access to EU markets. Instead, they would face standard tariffs applied to any non-EU country without a trade deal.
The EU remains Israel’s largest trading partner, with goods trade reaching €42.6 billion in 2024. Šefčovič described the move as “a carefully considered response to an increasingly urgent situation”. The EU Council will decide on the proposal by qualified majority.
Sanctions and frozen funding
The Commission also announced sanctions on Hamas, extremist Israeli ministers and violent settlers. In addition, around €14 million in bilateral support earmarked for Israel between 2020 and 2024 will be halted.
Dubravka Suica, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, stressed that this suspension applied only to the Israeli government, while funding for civil society, projects against antisemitism, and Holocaust remembrance initiatives such as Yad Vashem would remain unaffected.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement:
“The horrific events taking place in Gaza on a daily basis must stop. That is why we are proposing to suspend trade concessions with Israel, impose sanctions on extremist ministers and settlers, and freeze bilateral support.”
Humanitarian toll in Gaza
Since October 2023, Israeli military operations have killed almost 65,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children. Relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable, triggering famine and the spread of disease.
Germany’s coalition partners have agreed on a draft bill on Thursday (November 13) that would introduce a voluntary military service as the country ...
Prosecutors in Milan have opened an investigation into allegations that Italian nationals paid Bosnian Serb soldiers for trips to the hills around Sar...
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed longtime ally and former finance minister Mwigulu Nchemba as prime minister, following a disput...
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will appeal his conviction for conspiring to secure illegal Libyan funding for his 2007 election campaign, wit...
Mali’s foreign minister has rejected claims that jihadists could soon capture the capital, calling them unrealistic. It was the government’s first...
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed longtime ally and former finance minister Mwigulu Nchemba as prime minister, following a disputed election that triggered deadly unrest and drew international concern over human rights abuses.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will appeal his conviction for conspiring to secure illegal Libyan funding for his 2007 election campaign, with hearings set from 16 March to 3 June, the Paris appeal court said on Thursday (13 November).
Mali’s foreign minister has rejected claims that jihadists could soon capture the capital, calling them unrealistic. It was the government’s first detailed response to growing security concerns that prompted Western nations to advise their citizens to leave the country.
India’s Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh on Wednesday landed a C-130J transport aircraft at the new Mudh-Nyoma air force station in Ladakh, a senior defence official said.
A source has confirmed to Anewz that all bodies of the 20 victims in the Turkish Military place crash have been recovered by search teams in Georgia's Sighnaghi municipality.
Two earthquakes centered in Cyprus on Wednesday were felt across northern and central regions of Israel, raising concerns among residents in both countries. The first tremor occurred at 11:31 a.m., with the epicenter near Paphos, Cyprus, at a depth of 21 kilometers.
Georgian Interior Minister Geka Geladze has visited the site of the Turkish military helicopter crash in Sighnaghi Municipality, near the Georgia–Azerbaijan border.
Mali's Prime Minister, General Abdoulaye Maiga, sharply criticised France and Algeria on Tuesday (11 November) for allegedly supporting terrorist groups operating in the Sahel region. His comments came during the opening of the Bamako Military Exhibition (BAMEX).
Anewz correspondent Nini Nikoleishvili reports from site of crashed Turkish military plane in Sighnaghi Municipality, saying that limited visibility and rugged terrain are slowing down recovery efforts.
Germany’s coalition partners have agreed on a draft bill on Thursday (November 13) that would introduce a voluntary military service as the country seeks to bolster national defences over Russian security concerns.
Prosecutors in Milan have opened an investigation into allegations that Italian nationals paid Bosnian Serb soldiers for trips to the hills around Sarajevo in the 1990s so they could shoot civilians during the city’s four-year siege.
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed longtime ally and former finance minister Mwigulu Nchemba as prime minister, following a disputed election that triggered deadly unrest and drew international concern over human rights abuses.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will appeal his conviction for conspiring to secure illegal Libyan funding for his 2007 election campaign, with hearings set from 16 March to 3 June, the Paris appeal court said on Thursday (13 November).
Mali’s foreign minister has rejected claims that jihadists could soon capture the capital, calling them unrealistic. It was the government’s first detailed response to growing security concerns that prompted Western nations to advise their citizens to leave the country.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment