“We will have to listen to everybody’s position before we reach a final agreement,” cautioned one EU official who was granted anonymity to speak frankly.
A number of EU countries had called for sanctions against Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir over his taunting of activists apprehended while attempting to circumvent Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza in May. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reprimanded Ben-Gvir following the publication of a video of the incident, saying the minister’s behavior was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms.”
“The European Council condemns the mistreatment of detainees following the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters,” reads the draft. “It invites the Council to take work forward on restrictive measures against extremist ministers inciting and promoting such human rights abuses.”
Ben-Gvir has previously been sanctioned by the U.K., Canada, Australia, Norway and New Zealand in relation to his rhetoric about Palestinians.