Copenhagen (TDI): The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, admitted on Saturday she was “not optimistic” that the bloc would be able to impose sanctions on Israel over the war in Gaza, citing deep divisions among member states.
EU foreign ministers, gathered in Denmark, were set to debate a proposal to suspend funding for Israeli start-ups as an initial punitive measure. However, the bloc has so far failed to secure the necessary majority for the move, let alone for stronger measures against Israel.
“I’m not very optimistic, and today we are definitely not going to adopt decisions,” Kallas told reporters ahead of the meeting. “It sends a signal that we are divided.”
The 27-nation EU has often found itself paralyzed by internal splits, with some countries strongly supportive of Israel and others leaning toward backing the Palestinians. The disagreement has limited the bloc’s ability to respond to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Read More: Turkiye Cuts off Ties With Israel, Restricts Airspace, Bans Ships From Docking
Several EU states are pushing for tougher action against Israel but have met resistance. Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, whose country currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, argued that the bloc “must change words into action.” He said Copenhagen supports measures such as suspending trade cooperation with Israel, sanctioning far-right Israeli ministers, and banning imports from illegal settlements.
Israel meanwhile faces mounting pressure both domestically and internationally to halt its military campaign in Gaza. The conflict has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s population, while the United Nations has declared famine conditions in the territory.
Read More: Microsoft Fires Four Employees Over Protests Against Enabling Israel
The war erupted after Hamas’s October 2023 assault on Israel, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians. In response, Israel launched a massive offensive that has so far claimed at least 63,025 Palestinian lives, largely civilians, according to Gaza’s health ministry, numbers the UN deems credible.
