EU Executive Proposes Partial Trade Freeze With Israel, Sanctions and Gaza Aid

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told lawmakers in Strasbourg on Sept. 10 that the bloc’s executive branch plans to suspend parts of its trade partnership with Israel, impose sanctions on certain ministers and settlers, and establish a Palestinian donor group next month with a mechanism for Gaza reconstruction.

For the proposals to take effect, they must be approved by the Council of the European Union, where national governments decide collectively. Trade measures can pass with a qualified majority, but sanctions fall under foreign policy and require unanimous support from all 27 member states—making agreement difficult given the bloc’s divisions over Israel and the Palestinians.