Israeli foreign minister slams European Commission over proposed sanctions

Sa’ar also stressed Israel’s ongoing humanitarian cooperation with the EU, pointing to efforts to stabilize Gaza’s economy.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israel strongly condemned remarks by the president of the European Commission on Wednesday after she proposed a partial suspension of the European Union’s association agreement with Israel over the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

“What is happening in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

The measures under consideration include the suspension of the trade chapter of the EU-Israel association agreement, which would withdraw preferential access for Israeli goods to European markets.

The EU, Israel’s largest trading partner, accounted for nearly a third of the country’s international trade in goods last year. Ending preferential access would lead to higher tariffs on Israeli goods and services, not an outright boycott.

Implementing such a suspension would require the backing of 15 of the EU’s 27 member states, representing 65% of the bloc’s population.

Even without unanimous support, von der Leyen vowed that the Commission would take action where it could.

She noted that bilateral support for Israel would be put on hold, though work with Israeli civil society organizations and the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial would continue.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar denounced von der Leyen’s remarks.

“The words of the President of the European Commission this morning are regrettable. Some of them are also tainted by the echoes of the false propaganda of Hamas and its partners. Once again, Europe is sending the wrong message, which strengthens Hamas and the radical axis in the Middle East,” Sa’ar said.

“Israel, the only Jewish state in the world and the only democracy in the Middle East, is fighting a war of survival against extremist enemies who are working to eliminate it. The international community must support Israel in this struggle,” he added.

Sa’ar also stressed Israel’s ongoing humanitarian cooperation with the EU, pointing to efforts to stabilize Gaza’s economy.

“The results of this effort are evident on the ground, among other things, in the dramatic drop in the prices of basic products in Gaza. However, the main thing is missing from the President’s statement: the suffering in Gaza—all of it is the work of Hamas. The war itself began with Hamas’ invasion of Israel and the massacre of October 7. Its continuation is the result of Hamas’ continued refusal to release our hostages and lay down its weapons.”

Sa’ar concluded with a warning that the Commission’s stance could backfire.

“Harming Israel will not help end this conflict. On the contrary, it fortifies Hamas and Israel’s enemies. The President is wrong to give in to pressure from elements that undermine Israel-Europe relations. This is not an acceptable attitude between partners.”

Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 48 remaining hostages, about 20 are believed to be alive.