EU Buitenlandministers still not even about measures against Israel
The European Foreign Ministers are still not even about measures against Israel. That said outgoing Defense Minister Brekelmans, who has been temporarily Minister of Foreign Affairs since the departure of Caspar Veldkamp, after European consultation in Copenhagen.
There have been concrete proposals against Israel on the table for months, but the European member states cannot agree on that.
According to Brekelmans, “the countries move a little more towards each other”, but there is still insufficient support for sanctions, such as suspending European trade benefits for Israel or partly stopping cooperation in scientific research programs.
Letter with proposals
Prior to the top, Brekelmans and his Swedish counterpart wrote a letter to his fellow ministers, intended to break the impasse. It states that more needs to be done to make the Israeli government change course. They propose to set sanctions against violent settlers on the West Bank and against extremist ministers from the Israeli cabinet who protect these settlers.
Brekelmans says that many countries have joined the letter, “but the conclusion is that there was no qualified majority for it”. “That is because the views on the war vary within Europe,” he says. “There are also countries that, for example, are for one measure, but not for the other. That also makes it more difficult to come to conclusions.”
How many countries have suggested exactly behind the letter, he said he did not know. “I didn’t get.”
Discussion stuck
Despite increasing pressure on the European countries and a report showing that the Israeli violence is in battle with the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, and the Handelsverreag the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverrag, the Handelsverreaven, and the Handelsverreaven in Battle the Handriesverdreag, and the Handraëlie. Solid. On the one hand, countries such as Hungary and the Czech Republic find penalty measures against Israel inaccessible. On the other hand, there are countries that expect much more far -reaching action from the EU, such as Ireland and Spain.
For the top, Brekelmans said that the chance was little that the ministers would come to a joint position today. He said to expect that he would form a “leading group” together with a number of other countries in the European Union when it comes to taking steps against Israel.
What ended up is unclear. When asked, Brekelmans repeated that the conclusion is that there is now no majority for further measures. “We are going to discuss the next step within the cabinet. When it comes to measures, we will first look at what is feasible. Then we will see if we are going to do that individually or with another group of countries.”
Correspondent European Union Kysia Hekster:
“Behind the scenes, the tension between the European member states runs considerably at diplomatic level, large words are used in discussions about whether or not to take measures against Israel.
“How many children still have to die in Gaza”, diplomats wonder aloud, “how many journalists killed before we take action?” According to those involved, the credibility of the EU is at stake. Because how can the Union work on the now 19th sanction package against Russia, but it is not possible to agree on even the lightest penalty measure against Israel?
The EU foreign chief sounded frustrated. According to Kaja Kallas, people lose their trust in the Union if it doesn’t come to act. Outgoing Minister Brekelmans sees the same display in the European division that lives among the population. “