Proposed measures reportedly include suspending the trade agreement, an arms embargo, or sanctions on Israeli ministers, military personnel, and settlers.
The European Union is reportedly preparing a range of potential sanctions against Israel, citing concerns over human rights violations during the conflict in Gaza, Euractiv reported on Saturday, quoting sources.
The EU’s diplomatic service is expected to present a list of options to EU ambassadors on Wednesday. These options reportedly include a partial or full suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, targeted sanctions against Israeli government ministers, military officials, and extremist settlers, as well as trade restrictions, an arms embargo, and the suspension of scientific cooperation.
While many of these measures have been discussed informally in the past, this marks the first time they will be formally presented in writing, Euractiv stated. EU foreign ministers are reportedly scheduled to review these proposals on July 15.
Any action to impose sanctions on Israel would necessitate the unanimous backing of all 27 EU member states, a scenario widely considered unlikely. Hungary, for instance, has consistently supported the Jewish state, having blocked EU sanctions on Israeli settlers last year.
According to Euractiv, the document follows an internal EU review of the Association Agreement last month, which identified “indications of a breach” of Israel’s human rights commitments. Israel has vehemently rejected this review. Its Foreign Ministry stated it “should not be taken seriously,” arguing that the country was “engaged in an existential struggle by defending against the shared enemies of the West.”
In late June, the European Council called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, expressing alarm about “the unacceptable number of civilian casualties and the levels of starvation.” The Council also urged Israel to completely lift its blockade on Gaza to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid. Although Israel claimed to have done so, numerous media outlets reported little substantive change on the ground.
There are currently no EU sanctions imposed on Israel as a state. However, the EU has previously sanctioned specific Israeli individuals and organizations, primarily those it described as “extremist” settlers in the West Bank allegedly involved in violence against Palestinian residents.
Following Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel in 2023, the latter retaliated with a military operation in Gaza, leading to unprecedented destruction. Official figures indicate approximately 60,000 Palestinian and 1,200 Israeli fatalities in the fighting.