EU Diplomat Says Sanctions on Israel Over Gaza War Unlikely Amid Divisions

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas admits lack of consensus within the bloc on sanctioning Israel as Gaza humanitarian crisis deepens.

EU divisions stall sanction efforts against Israel over the Gaza conflict, with foreign ministers split on suspending trade and funding.

EU Diplomat Says Sanctions on Israel Over Gaza War Unlikely Amid Divisions

COPENHAGEN: European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas acknowledged on Saturday that the bloc is unlikely to impose sanctions on Israel over its ongoing war in Gaza, citing deep divisions among member states.

Speaking at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Denmark, Kallas said she was “not optimistic” about the possibility of securing agreement on measures against Israel. “I’m not very optimistic, and today we are definitely not going to adopt decisions. It sends a signal that we are divided,” she told reporters.

The meeting comes amid proposals to suspend EU funding to Israeli start-ups as an initial measure, but so far the bloc has failed to secure the necessary majority to advance such a step. More forceful options, including trade restrictions and sanctions targeting Israeli ministers, remain stalled.

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen urged stronger action, saying the EU “must change words into action.” He reiterated Copenhagen’s support for suspending trade cooperation with Israel, sanctioning far-right Israeli officials, and banning imports from settlements deemed illegal under international law.

The EU’s divisions reflect broader differences between member states that back Israel and those supporting the Palestinians. These disagreements have left the 27-member bloc hamstrung in addressing the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The United Nations has reported famine in Gaza, where the vast majority of the population has been displaced at least once since the conflict began. The war erupted after Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s retaliatory campaign has since killed at least 63,025 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to Gaza health ministry data considered credible by the UN.

Despite mounting international calls for restraint, Israel continues to face increasing criticism at home and abroad over the scale of its offensive.