In order to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza, adoption of trade measures by EU countries would make the cost of some Israeli imports more expensive by 227 million euros
The European Commission, executive body of the on Wednesday (17) proposed taxes on certain imports of Israel and impose sanctions against two far-right ministers of the Benjamin Netanyahu coalition government. “I want to be very clear, the goal is not to punish . The goal is to improve the humanitarian situation in “The EU Diplomacy Chief Kaja Kallas said. In case of adoption by EU countries, commercial measures would make it at 227 million euros ($ 269 million, $ 1.425 billion) the cost of some Israeli imports, mainly of agricultural origin.
The European Commission has also proposed sanctions against two extreme right Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir, head of the National Security Folder, and Bezalel Smotrich, finance minister, according to a block source. The European executive had already proposed, in August 2024, sanctions against the two ministers. But the proposal did not advance due to the lack of agreement between the 27 Member States. For approval, the measure requires unanimous voting from EU countries.
In the commercial sphere, sanctions require only qualified majority of the Member States. But it will also be difficult to reach an agreement in this area, according to diplomats in Brussels. The Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Saar, warned that “any action against Israel will have an appropriate response.” “We hope you don’t have to resort to it,” he added to social network X.
“The recommendations of the College of Commissioners led by the president (Ursula) von der Leyen are moral and politically biased,” he wrote. “The measures against Israel will harm the very interests of Europe,” he emphasized. Israeli exports to the EU, its main commercial partner, reached last year 15.9 billion euros (99 billion reais). Only 37% of imports would be affected by sanctions if the 27 countries approve the measures, particularly in the agri -food sector.
*With information from AFP
