BRUSSELS: European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Thursday he has asked the bloc’s members to consider imposing sanctions on two Israeli ministers for “hate messages” against Palestinians, messages that he said broke international law.
He did not name either of the ministers. But in recent weeks he has publicly criticized Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for statements he has described as “sinister” and “an incitement to war crimes.”
Borrell said EU foreign ministers held an initial discussion about his proposal at a meeting in Brussels on Thursday. He said there was no unanimity — which would be required to impose sanctions — but the debate would continue.
“The ministers will decide. It’s up to them, as always. But the process has been launched,” he told reporters.
He said he had proposed that the Israeli ministers be sanctioned for violations of human rights. EU sanctions generally mean a ban on travel to the bloc and a freeze on assets held in the EU.
Israel’s foreign minister Israel Katz accused Borrell of targeting him with false claims that he had called for Palestinians to be displaced from the West Bank. “I oppose the displacement of any population from their homes,” he said.
Diplomats say it is unlikely the EU would find the necessary unanimous agreement among its 27 members to impose sanctions on Israeli government ministers.
But Borrell’s decision to float such a proposal indicates the level of anger among some European officials over the words and actions of some far-right Israeli ministers.
Even ministers from some countries that are strong allies of Israel, such as Germany and the Czech Republic, did not immediately shut down the sanctions discussion in comments to reporters on the sidelines of Thursday’s meeting.
Ireland, one of the EU’s most pro-Palestinian members, said it backed Borrell’s suggestion.
“We will be supporting Josep Borrell’s recommendation for sanctions in respect of settler organizations in the West Bank who are facilitating (the) expansion of settlements, and also to Israeli ministers,” Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said.
But Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani dismissed the idea.
“We have to resolve the problems, convince the Israelis to make the choices that will lead to a ceasefire in Gaza,” he said. “This is the real priority.”
Borrell asks EU to consider sanctions on 2 Israeli ministers
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Borrell asks EU to consider sanctions on 2 Israeli ministers
- In recent weeks, Borrell publicly criticized Ben-Gvir and Smotrich for statements he has described as “sinister” and “an incitement to war crimes”
Algeria shuts most schools over storm alert
- The Algerian civil defense urged the public to exercise extreme caution, asking residents to ready “lighting that does not rely on electricity,” stay away from windows and power poles, and avoid travel except in cases of necessity
ALGIERS: Algeria said Tuesday it was shutting down schools in the vast majority of its provinces for the next two days, as the country prepares for a major storm.
Winds are expected to reach speeds of 120 kilometers per hour (74 miles per hour) in regions spanning most of the North African country on Wednesday, including in the capital Algiers.
The education ministry said in a statement that classes were suspended across 52 of Algeria’s 69 provinces following the “urgent” storm alert.
The Algerian civil defense urged the public to exercise extreme caution, asking residents to ready “lighting that does not rely on electricity,” stay away from windows and power poles, and avoid travel except in cases of necessity.
Last week, severe weather in Algeria left two people dead, including a child, the civil defense said.
In Relizane, as well as in Algiers and Tipaza, entire neighborhoods were flooded last week and several roads were cut off due to heavy rains and flooding.
Heavy rainfall also hit neighboring Tunisia, where several people were reported dead in flooding and at sea.
