EU foreign minister Josep Borrell has proposed taking action against far-right Israeli ministers. Although the likelihood of the resolution being passed is slim, the proposal itself marks a new stage in relations between Israel and the European Union.
This was reported by the Haaretz news portal.
At a meeting of the 27 EU foreign ministers on Thursday 29 August, Borrell will propose sanctions against ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, whose provocative statements and actions continue to draw international condemnation. Over the past year, Josep Borrell has been a strong advocate for EU sanctions to be extended to cover not only perpetrators of violence against Palestinians, but also a broader range of settlers.
Recent events have given him compelling reasons to take further steps in this direction. The final straw for Ben-Gvir was his defiant visit to the Temple Mount, accompanied by a declaration of intent to pray, which violated the status quo and sparked international condemnation.
As for Smotrich, his recent statement has sparked outrage among European politicians. Earlier this month, the Finance Minister said that “it may be morally justifiable to starve the people of Gaza until the Israeli hostages are returned.” The statement has drawn condemnation because many consider it contrary to international standards of humanity.
Earlier, Cursor wrote that the State Prosecutor had submitted a request to the government’s legal adviser demanding that a criminal investigation be launched against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. He commented on the news about the State Prosecutor’s request to open a criminal investigation against him.
