EU Proposal to Suspend Trade with Israel Lacks Member State Support Amid Gaza Conflict
The EU's proposal to suspend trade with Israel over the Gaza war lacks member state support, drawing Israeli criticism amid the conflict's rising death toll.
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Overview
- The European Union proposed suspending trade concessions with Israel, including tariff preferences and free trade access, in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
- This proposal comes as the death toll in Gaza has exceeded 65,000 Palestinians since the war began in October 2023, leading to calls for new sanctions.
- The EU Commission's proposal to limit trade with Israel is projected to have a modest economic impact, estimated at 227 million annually.
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar strongly criticized the European Commission's proposals, labeling them as "morally and politically distorted" in their approach to the Gaza war.
- Despite the proposal and ongoing discussions, the EU initiative to suspend trade concessions with Israel currently lacks sufficient support from member states to pass.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by emphasizing the unlikelihood of the EU Commission's proposed trade curbs and sanctions against Israel being adopted. They highlight significant internal EU divisions and the limited economic impact, portraying the measures as largely symbolic and unlikely to pass, despite being described as the "toughest response" to the Gaza war.
"The plans, trailed by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last week, would suspend trade-related provisions of the EU–Israel Association Agreement."
BBC NewsArticles (5)
FAQ
The EU proposes to suspend parts of its free trade agreement with Israel, including tariff preferences and free trade access, impacting about 5.8 billion euros of Israeli exports annually.
The proposal is in response to the ongoing Gaza conflict, where the death toll has exceeded 65,000 Palestinians since October 2023, prompting calls for new sanctions against Israel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar strongly criticized the European Commission's proposal, calling it 'morally and politically distorted' in its approach to the Gaza war.
The EU Commission estimates the trade suspension would have a modest economic impact on Israel, approximately 227 million euros annually.
Currently, the proposal lacks sufficient support from EU member states to be passed, despite ongoing discussions and the EU Commission's initiative.
History
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