European Commission proposes higher taxes on Israeli products and sanctions against two ministers
The trade measures, if adopted by E.U. countries, would increase the cost of certain Israeli imports by some $269 million. The European Commission also proposed to sanction Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
Kaja Kallas, E.U. high representative for foreign affairs.
The European Commission, the European Union's (E.U.) executive body, on Wednesday proposed increase taxes on certain imports from Israel and sanction two ministers in Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
"I want to be very clear, the objective is not to punish Israel. The objective is to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza," E.U. diplomatic chief Kaja Kallas told a press conference.
The trade measures, if adopted by E.U. countries, would make the cost of certain Israeli imports, mainly of agricultural origin, more expensive by $269 million.
E.U. seeks to sanction two of Netanyahu's ministers
The European Commission also proposed to sanction two Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir, responsible for national security, and Bezalel Smotrich, responsible for finance, according to statements by an E.U. official picked up by AFP.
JNS
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JNS (Jewish News Syndicate)
The European executive had already proposed in August 2024 to sanction these two ministers. However, there was no agreement among the 27 member states.
In the trade field, sanctions require a qualified majority of member states. Agreement in that sector will be difficult to reach, diplomats in Brussels believe.
Multibillion-dollar exports to the E.U.
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