EU Commission Proposes Sanctions on Israeli Officials and Settlers Amidst Gaza Resolution Stalemate

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has announced a proposal to sanction key Israeli officials and settlers, alongside a potential suspension of the trade pillar of the EU–Israel Association Agreement. This significant move, aimed at punishing Israel’s ‘extremist ministers,’ was met with a mixed reception in the European Parliament, drawing both applause and heckles.

The announcement comes amidst ongoing internal divisions within the Parliament regarding a joint stance on Gaza. Despite von der Leyen’s toughened position, a resolution on Gaza failed to pass Thursday’s vote after her own center-right European People’s Party (EPP) reportedly walked out of a deal, disagreeing with the final text. However, center-left groups are hopeful that the Commission President’s new direction could influence the EPP to reconsider its stance.

While a suspension of the trade agreement would reimpose tariffs and significantly impact the Israeli economy – as the EU represents 32 percent of its total trade – achieving the necessary qualified majority for such a measure remains challenging. Previous attempts to suspend Israel’s participation in the Horizon research fund lacked sufficient support, with key member states like Italy and Germany, as well as close allies such as Hungary and Czechia, needing to back the proposal.

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