EU foreign ministers are split over potential punitive measures in response to Israel's campaign in Gaza. Ministers gathered in Copenhagen to debate actions including a proposal to suspend EU funding to Israeli start-ups as an initial punitive step. The bloc has not secured the majority needed to impose that measure or stronger sanctions. Some member states, including Spain and Ireland, urge heavy pressure on Israel to halt attacks on Palestinians. Other states, such as Germany and Hungary, favor minimal or no action. Denmark signaled readiness to suspend trade provisions and impose sanctions on Israeli leaders. EU officials expressed pessimism about consensus.
We are witnessing the most catastrophic humanitarian catastrophe. Israel must change its course. We should find common ground. I am not revealing a secret by saying we must change words into sanctions. Denmark is ready to suspend the trade chapter in the association agreement and put sanctions on the [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu government and some ministers in his government.
There are splits between member states, like Spain and Ireland, who want to apply heavy pressure on Israel to stop its punishing attacks on Palestinians, and its firm allies, such as Germany and Hungary, who want to take little or no action at all. Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares told Al Jazeera ahead of the meeting that the EU is doing too little too late and doing nothing hadn't achieved anything when it came to the situation in Gaza.
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