नवीनतम
EU lays out new tariffs and sanctions on Israel
NEW DELHI [Maha Media]: The European Union on Wednesday laid out its toughest plan yet to pressure Israel to end the war in Gaza as Palestinians fled en masse from Israeli tanks, drones and troops pushing deeper into the coastal enclave ravaged by 23 months of war.
Kaja Kallas, the EU's foreign policy chief, urged the 27 member nations to increase tariffs on some Israeli goods and impose sanctions on Israeli settlers, and two members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet — National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. She also proposed sanctioning 10 Hamas leaders.
"We are proposing these measures not to punish Israel or Israeli people, but to really try to pressure the Israeli government to change course and to end the human suffering in Gaza," Kallas said at a press conference in Brussels. "The war needs to end, the suffering must stop, and all hostages must be released."
The sanctions would freeze any of the individuals' European assets and ban travel within the EU.
The EU is Israel's largest trading partner, so the tariffs could have far-reaching effects on Israel's economy, which is already rattled by the cost of a long war. Roughly 32 million euros ($37.5 million) in bilateral funds controlled by the European Commission would be immediately suspended. The commission also gives support to the Palestinian Authority.
Israel denies there is starvation in Gaza and says it allows in enough humanitarian aid.
The proposed sanctions reflect worsening relations between Europe and Israel. Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen broke with her strong pro-Israel stance to call for European pressure on Israel over its military campaign in Gaza.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar sent a strongly worded letter to von der Leyen, accusing her of empowering a terrorist organisation and vowing that Israel will buck the European campaign.
"Pressure through sanctions will not work. The State of Israel is a proud sovereign nation, and we will not be bent through threats while Israel's security is at stake," he wrote in the letter.
