European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday that the Commission will propose sanctions against extremist Israeli ministers and a partial suspension of the partnership agreement between the European Union and Israel, specifically targeting trade-related matters.
During her State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen mentioned that the Commission will put bilateral support for Israel on hold, ensuring that this does not impact the operations of Israeli civil society or Yad Vashem, the primary memorial site for Holocaust remembrance in Israel.
Previously, the Commission had suggested limiting Israel’s benefits from its core research funding program but struggled to garner enough support from EU member states to move forward with that initiative.
Von der Leyen stated that the Commission will now take action independently as much as it can. Additionally, she announced plans to establish a donor group for Palestinians next month, which will include a funding mechanism for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.