The Netherlands and Sweden ask EU to put more pressure on Israel
The Netherlands and Sweden have again sent a letter to EU-BuitenlandChef Kaja Kallas in which it is asked to increase the pressure on Israel. They ask, among other things, to quickly accept proposals that make targeted sanctions against extremist Israeli ministers possible and the suspension of the trade part of the partnership that the EU has with Israel.
The letter was sent and signed on Wednesday by the Dutch and Swedish Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Ruben Brekelmans and Maria Malmer Stenergard. The EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs will meet in Copenhagen on Saturday for consultation. Denmark is currently chairman of the EU.
In addition to the aforementioned measures, the two ministers ask for extra steps against violent Israeli settlers. They also repeat support for the proposal to partially suspend Israel’s participation in the Horizon Europe program. There is nothing in the letter about a boycott of products from settlements. Furthermore, the countries are calling for sanctions against the political leaders of Hamas.
The fact that Israel violates the conditions of the association agreement and an agreement with the EU in order to allow more help to go to Gaza is the reason for the ministers to write the letter.
It is the second letter from both countries to Kallas in a short time. Recently, the stepped minister Caspar Veldkamp (Foreign Affairs) also sent a letter to Kallas in which it was also requested, among other things, to temporarily suspend the trading part of the association agreement between the EU and Israel.
Brekelmans and Stenergard write that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains untenable and that the decision of Israel to attack Gaza City emphasizes the need for more action. They criticize Israel’s decision to build a new settlement at Jerusalem. They find that unacceptable.
The EU member states are divided on the subject, although the number of countries that wants to take steps against Israel is growing. But whether there is sufficient support for that remains difficult to gauge, according to an initiate. If they do agree, it will be decided during the next meeting because the meeting in the Danish capital is informal.
In Copenhagen, Brekelmans will also argue for a ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements. If there is no support for that, the outgoing cabinet is considering taking that step together with other countries.