No EU sanctions against Israel; the Association Agreement will not be suspended. Italy stands by Netanyahu

Brussels – Israel: the European Union still lacks the resolve, the numbers, and the courage to impose sanctions. “I have seen no change in positions around the table,” admits the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, at the conclusion of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg. No progress, then, for a Union that fails to live up to its name. “Some Member States have called for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, while others have opposed it,” acknowledging that the problem is not Hungary. 

Countries that wanted to send a strong political message to the State of Israel regarding its conduct in the Palestinian territories include Spain, Ireland and Slovenia. On the other hand, the group opposed to the move includes Germany and Italy. The Italian government’s position is as follows: “It is better to sanction those responsible individually, such as violent settlers, and to strengthen sanctions” against them, explains Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani. “I do not believe that blocking a trade instrument is a useful tool because it ends up affecting the Israeli population, who often have nothing to do with the acts committed by the military and blamed on the government,” he observes. 

Words and decisions that have provoked a reaction from the opposition: “Prime Minister Meloni’s decision to align herself with those governments that do not want any sanctions against Israel is a grave responsibility which, once again, undermines our country’s role on the international stage,” accuse MEPs from the Democratic Party Nicola Zingaretti and Lucia Annunziata, respectively head of the PD delegation to the European Parliament and member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. For the two S&D representatives, “the decision being taken by European governments not to suspend the EU-Israel trade agreement and to do nothing about the Netanyahu government is a serious and complicit mistake.” 

Even more bluntly, Kathleen van Brempt (S&D), Vice-Chair of the Committee on International Trade: “By leaving the EU-Israel Association Agreement unchanged, the European Union is sending the message that human rights clauses can be ignored without consequences.” 

The Five Star Movement delegation is also on the same page as the PD: “This government was and remains complicit in Netanyahu’s crimes,” says Five Star Movement member Danilo Della Valle, a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs. In his view, suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement is “the bare minimum the EU could have done in the face of genocide,” but he believes the Italian government’s decision not to automatically renew the defence memorandum with Israel “was merely a flash in the pan,” whilst “the truth is that nothing has changed.” 

There may be some action regarding measures to be taken against Israeli settlers in the West Bank. France and Sweden have proposed restrictions on trade from the settlements, and the EU executive has no intention of dropping the initiative. “I promise to forward the proposal to the Trade Commissioner,” Kallas assures. Maros Sefcovic (the Trade Commissioner, in fact) will therefore be tasked with studying the practical and legal feasibility of any restrictive measures, and, if anything is possible, the Commission will then consider measures.