Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas unveiled plans Wednesday to downgrade trade ties with Israel and sanction top officials over findings of human rights abuses in Gaza, marking a major shift in the bloc’s approach to the Middle Eastern nation.
The planned measures from the European Commission, which must still be approved by member countries, aim to impose tariffs on some €5.8 billion of imported goods from Israel as well as sanction two hard-line members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government: National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
As part of the package announced Wednesday, the EU wants to suspend some €20 million in direct support for various Israeli projects, according to senior EU officials.
“I want to be very clear. The aim is not to punish Israel. The aim is to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza,” Kallas said during a news conference in Brussels.
This article is being updated.