The consortium of nations forming the European Union, guided by Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, unveiled on Wednesday a series of consequential measures designed to penalize Israel for its involvement in the Gaza conflict. This proposition from the European Union calls for multiple punitive actions against Israel attributed to purported transgressions of human rights during the military engagements against Hamas. The EU’s Trade Commissioner, Maros Sefcovic, conveyed regret on behalf of the Union for making this difficult decision, saying it was ‘both appropriate and proportionate due to the persistent humanitarian crisis in Gaza.’
The measures unveiled include a partial suspension of trade-related benefits affecting roughly 37% of imports from Israel, planned to be enforced a month post-approval. Such a move could substantially wound the Israeli economy given that the EU represented 32% of its total export market, worth approximately $50.3 billion, as of 2024.
Moreover, the planned measures also involve the halting of bilateral aid to Israel. This excludes aid that is provided to civil society initiatives and Yad Vashem, a global center dedicated to the memory of the Holocaust. Additionally, the proposed sanctions target ten officials from Hamas and nine Israeli ministers and radical settlers.
For these measures to be implemented, all 27 nations comprising the European Union need to endorse and give their unanimous consent. This proposal from the EU follows a review suggesting Israel’s non-adherence to Article 2 of the bilateral trade agreement between themselves and the EU. Article 2 identifies their relationship as being built on mutual respect for human rights and democratic principles, principles that are integral to both national and international policy, key essentials of this agreement.
The EU argues that Israel’s violation is evidenced by the rapidly worsening humanitarian predicament in Gaza in the aftermath of Israel’s military action. Other indicators pointed out include the restriction on humanitarian assistance, along with Israel’s increased efforts to expand its settlements in the West Bank, which is presently under illegal occupation.
In her statement last week, EU President Ursula von der Leyen hinted at the potential imposition of punitive actions against Israel for conduct purportedly undermining the two-state resolution to the Israel-Palestine conflict. She referred to the present circumstances in Gaza as unacceptable.
The confrontation against Hamas in Gaza, backed by Iran, has been waged by Israel since the armed group first staged a violent assault on Israel on October 7, 2023. As a consequence, the region of Gaza has been nearly razed completely and is currently dealing with an artificially induced famine.
Based on the data revealed by the Palestine Ministry of Health, Israel’s military actions in the war have resulted in the demise of over 65,000 Palestinians, predominantly women and children. The toll of deaths caused by malnutrition alone includes over 432 people, comprising 146 children.
Following the initial attack on October 7, there was widespread support for Israel, however, as the months carried on, the devastation brought by increased casualty figures, piled debris, growing allegations of human rights abuses, and the extension of the conflict to other nations caused that support to significantly wane. A recent action escalating regional tensions involved Israel’s assault on Qatar, targeting high-ranking Hamas officials.
As the conflict has unfolded, Israel has taken control of approximately 75% of the Gaza territory. On Tuesday, Israel initiated a widely criticized ground attack aimed to seize control over the remaining 25% of the region, which is primarily represented by Gaza City.
The day on which the European Union proposed this set of measures coincided with an indictment from Human Rights Watch accusing Israel of committing a ‘war crime’ in southern Syria through attacks on its adversaries.
Further condemnation of Israel came from an independent United Nations human rights commission that labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide a day before the proposal of the EU’s measures. The International Criminal Court brought out arrest warrants against Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the month of November, citing charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In response to the barrage of criticisms, Israel dismissed them as anti-Semitic and reflective of Hamas propaganda. Referring to the proposed penalties from the EU, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, stridently dismissed the possible sanctions as morally and politically misguided in a statement issued on Wednesday. He added, ‘Actions against Israel are likely to detriment Europe’s interests and any measures taken against Israel will invoke a proportionate response. It is hoped that such action does not become necessary.’
The post EU Proposes Punitive Measures against Israel amid Gaza Conflict appeared first on Real News Now.
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