EU Chief Proposes New Sanctions on Israeli Ministers, Suspension of ‘Trade-Related Matters’

Latest Developments

EU Mulls New Israel Sanctions: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed new sanctions on September 10 against Israeli ministers, along with the partial suspension of trade-related measures under the European Union’s Association Agreement with Israel. “What is happening in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world,” von der Leyen stated, adding that “man-made famine can never be a weapon of war” before laying out her proposed measures against Israel. Additionally, she suggested “putting [the European Union’s] bilateral support to Israel on hold, without affecting civil society” or Israel’s Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, as well as establishing a donor group to aid in the reconstruction of Gaza.
Majority Support Unlikely: For the series of proposed sanctions against Israel to move forward, they would need widespread consensus from EU member states, which are sharply divided over Israel. Ireland, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands have backed the suspension of the European Union’s free trade pact with Israel, a motion that requires a qualified majority — or 15 out of 27 EU members — and has historically been opposed by Germany, Hungary, and the Czech Republic. For sanctions against individuals, unanimous support is needed, an outcome that is also unlikely after Prague and Budapest blocked previously proposed measures against Israelis living in the West Bank in May 2025.
Israeli Foreign Minister Condemns Comments: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called von der Leyen’s comments “regrettable” and “tainted by echoing the false propaganda of Hamas.” Sa’ar further accused her of “yielding to the pressures of elements that seek to undermine Israel-Europe relations,” calling the proposed motions against Israel “not acceptable conduct between partners. The President is well aware of Israel’s efforts — together with, among others, the European Union itself — to assist the humanitarian effort in Gaza.”

FDD Expert Response

“The international isolation, harassment campaigns against Israelis, and EU threats to slap Israel with economic penalties are unlikely to convince the Jewish state to stop defending itself against a genocidal enemy. Rather, these discriminatory steps will only reinforce Israel’s raison d’etre as a safe haven for Jews in a hostile, antisemitic global environment. And if the European Union truly cares about ending Palestinian suffering, it should focus its efforts on eliminating the EU-designated terrorist group Hamas, which has destroyed Gaza in its suicide mission to eradicate Israel.” — David May, Research Manager and Senior Research Analyst

“EU executives often find themselves engaged in a balancing act when member states diverge on an issue. In this case, however, von der Leyen’s attempt to appease those EU states that have joined the shrill chorus condemning Israel amounts to a betrayal of the bloc’s historic mission — specifically, the need to maintain moral and material solidarity with democratic states like Israel when they are faced with multifront terrorist assaults.” — Ben Cohen, Senior Analyst and Rapid Response Director