Germany does not want to agree to EU Israel sanctions

Middle East conflict

Germany does not want to agree to EU Israel sanctions

The EU countries have a proposal for punitive measures against Israel on the table due to the catastrophic situation in Gaza. Germany now makes its rejection clear. Partners are frustrated.

Germany will not agree to planned EU sanctions against Israel for the time being. Foreign Minister Johann WadePhul explained that the Horizon Europe, proposed by the EU Commission, was a measure that would probably have no influence on the political will formation and the military approach of Israel in the Gaza Strip at an EU meeting in the Danish capital Copenhagen. That is why they are not so convinced of these proposals.

WadePhul pointed out that Germany restricts arms deliveries to Israel instead. “I think this is a very targeted measure that is very important and which is very necessary,” said the CDU politician. She meets the military commitment. The science cooperation, on the other hand, makes sense.

However, representatives of other EU countries expressed a clear lack of understanding of the rejection of the commission proposal. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said in Copenhagen that the EU could only shape its relationships with Israel on the basis of human rights. If there is massive injuries, as stated by the EU Commission, you have to act. In Gaza, thousands of Palestinians are exposed to death by a famine caused by Israel. “We speak of children, of babies. This is unacceptable,” he said.

The EU foreign commissioner Kaja Kallas also warned of the consequences of a failure of the “fairly mild” commission proposal. “If we are split, we have no uniform voice, and if we have no uniform voice, we have no voice on the global stage on this topic. This is definitely very problematic,” she said.

At the end of July, the EU Commission had proposed to partially suspend Israel’s participation in the Horizon Europe research promotion program. This is intended to increase the pressure on the country to enable better humanitarian care for the needy people in the sealed -off Gaza Strip, where Israel fights Islamist Hamas. Israeli companies could lose access to grants in the millions by the punishment.

In detail, the sanction proposal for the time being to no longer participate in certain projects that are financed through the European Innovation Council (EIC). For example, start-ups and small companies that work in the field of cyber security, drones and artificial intelligence would be hit. The participation of Israeli universities and researchers in cooperation projects and research activities within the framework of Horizon remains unaffected by the proposed measure.