Several EU countries are requesting sanctions against Israel because of the situation in the Gaza Strip. Germany and Austria, among others, are voting against them.
The European Union is currently maintaining its association agreement with Israel. On Monday, EU foreign ministers met in Brussels to discuss a possible suspension of the agreement and sanctions against the Jewish state. The initiative was spearheaded by Ireland, Malta, Slovenia, and Spain. However, the member states could not reach an agreement. Among others, Germany, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Lithuania, Austria, Romania, and Hungary rejected the proposal.
The background to the discussion is a report by the European Commission. This report sees indications that Israel has not complied with its obligations under the Association Agreement. The Israeli Foreign Ministry criticized the report as a "moral and methodological failure.".
The report addresses, among other things, the "denial of humanitarian aid," attacks on hospitals, displacement, and impunity in the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, it denounces violence perpetrated by settlers, as reported by the Reuters news agency.
EU External Relations Commissioner Kaja Kallas told reporters on Monday after the meeting: “Our first goal is to change the situation on the ground and help ensure that humanitarian aid can reach Gaza.” If no improvement is seen, the issue will be revisited in July, the Estonian said. The report “is not intended to punish Israel, but to bring about concrete improvements for the people and their lives in Gaza.” The relationship should be based on “respect for human rights and democratic principles.”.
Money for PA and UNRWA
Meanwhile, the European Commission announced that it is increasing its support for the Palestinians by €202 million. Of this, €150 million is earmarked for the Palestinian Authority (PA) to "guarantee essential public services." These include salaries for teachers, civil servants, and healthcare workers, the Commission stated. The process is linked to the implementation of the reform agenda for the PA.
The remaining 52 million will go to the controversial UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA). This money will be used to finance services such as education, first aid, and other support for refugees in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and countries like Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, said: “Our support for the Palestinian people remains firm.” The money is part of a larger aid package of over €1.6 billion to be distributed to the PA and UNRWA between 2025 and 2027. It was presented on April 25. (Israelnetz)
