STRASBOURG: EU chief Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to sanction extremist Israeli ministers and restrict trade ties with Israel over the Gaza conflict.
She warned the European Parliament that famine cannot serve as a weapon of war while condemning catastrophic conditions in Gaza.
“What is happening in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world,“ von der Leyen stated during her address.
The European Commission will suspend bilateral support payments to Israel while maintaining work with civil society groups.
Sanctions will target ministers and settlers whose actions incite violence according to the proposed measures.
The EU executive will also seek partial suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement covering trade matters.
Von der Leyen acknowledged that achieving consensus among divided member states would prove challenging.
She emphasised the moral responsibility to act despite anticipated disagreements among EU nations.
The conflict began with Hamas’s October 2023 attack that killed 1,219 people according to Israeli figures.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 64,605 Palestinians according to Gaza health ministry data.
The United Nations declared famine in parts of Gaza last month affecting 500,000 people. – AFP
