Spain and Ireland fail to impose sanctions against Israel due to lack of European consensus

Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia – countries highly critical of Israel – unsuccessfully sought to impose European Union (EU) sanctions on Israel over alleged human rights violations. Proposed punitive measures included sanctions, an arms embargo, and suspending or amending the 1995 Association Agreement between Jerusalem and the EU. However, the effort failed due to a lack of consensus within the EU.

The Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon criticized other European countries for not backing the sanctions against Israel.  

“It is disappointing that there is no EU consensus to act on the June determination that Israel is violating Article 2 of the association agreement, concerning human rights. A general agreement on humanitarian aid cannot excuse inaction. We all have a responsibility to protect civilians,” Fajon stated.

Implementing such measures against a country requires a “qualitive majority” of at least 65% according to EU rules. However, member states like Germany, Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria and Croatia all opposed the sanctions or other punitive action against Israel. 

Following the setback for the anti-Israel block, EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas argued that “Israel needs to take more concrete steps to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza,” claiming that “all options remain on the table” if the Jewish state allegedly fails to fulfill its obligations. 

Israel’s new Washington-backed Gaza aid plan is facing strong opposition from the United Nations and various aid groups. The main goal of the Israeli plan is to deliver aid directly to Gazan civilians and bypass Hamas, which has previously been stealing aid and using it to finance terrorism against Israel and maintaining its control in Gaza. 

Despite diplomatic tensions, Israel and the EU reportedly recently reached an agreement on increasing aid to Gaza.

“Following the Israeli Cabinet’s resolutions and the constructive dialogue between the EU and Israel, significant steps have been agreed by Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip,” Kallas stated last week.

The EU’s top diplomat also emphasized that the increased inflow of aid into Gaza would be implemented “with a shared understanding that the aid must reach the civilian population directly and steps must be taken to prevent its diversion to Hamas.”

Spain has emerged as one of the leading European critics of Israel’s right to defend itself against the terrorist organization Hamas, which openly calls for Israel’s destruction and the murder of all Jews. 

Last month, Spain tried unsuccessfully to end the “association agreement” between the EU and Israel. However, the Spanish-led anti-Israel move was blocked by countries like Italy, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Hungary, Greece and Lithuania. The Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar thanked the pro-Israel block within the EU and stressed that it was absurd to punish Israel for defending itself against genocidal enemies. 

In May, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez claimed during a parliamentary debate that Israel is a “genocidal state.” 

“I’ll clarify one thing, Mr. Rufián,” Sánchez said. “We don’t trade with a genocidal state. We don’t. I believe I explained from this platform the other day what we’re talking about, when some statements were made that weren’t true,” the Spanish premier stated without presenting any credible evidence for the “genocide” claim. 

Most Western governments – including the United States, Germany, the UK, and France – have rejected the accusation that equates Israel’s self-defense against Hamas with “genocide.” Israeli leaders have condemned the charge, comparing it to a modern blood libel.