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Borrell proposes EU sanctions against Israeli ministers

by AI | 29.Aug 2024 | Europe in brief AI

Because of “hate messages against Palestinians,” EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell wants to sanction Israeli ministers. According to media reports, it is likely to be the country’s finance minister and police minister.

Szef unijnej dyplomacji Josep Borrell. Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP/dpa

Brussels – The EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell proposes to the EU member states to place “some Israeli ministers” on a sanctions list. The EU’s chief diplomat announced this ahead of an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers on Thursday in Brussels. Borrell accuses the unnamed Israeli ministers of spreading “messages of hate against Palestinians” that are an “incitement” to “commit war crimes.”

As reported by the German Press Agency dpa with reference to several EU officials, Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir are to be punished with the proposed sanctions. Both Smotrich and Ben-Gvir recently caused outrage with statements against Palestinians and are far-right coalition partners of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Additionally, both are advocates of the settlement policy in occupied territories, which is deemed illegal by the highest UN court.

Borrell emphasized in his appearance before the press that there will be no decision on the matter on Thursday, as it is an informal meeting of the foreign ministers. Support for the Spaniard’s proposal came from Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin, who also spoke out in favor of sanctions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock evaded a journalist’s question and did not state clearly whether she is for or against Borrell’s proposal. She pointed to already decided sanctions against radical settlers in the West Bank. Austria’s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) had to cancel his participation in the meeting in Brussels due to illness. (29.08.2024)