EU foreign policy chief admits effort to sanction Israeli ministers unlikely to succeed

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell says he asked the bloc’s members to consider imposing sanctions on two Israeli ministers for “hate messages” against Palestinians, but admits there is no unanimity, which is required to move ahead with sanctions.

Borrell does not name either of the ministers, but in recent weeks he has publicly criticized National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for statements he has described as “sinister” and “an incitement to war crimes.”

Borrell says EU foreign ministers held an initial discussion about his proposal at a meeting in Brussels today. He admits that 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 tells reporters.

He says 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.

Diplomats say it is unlikely the EU would find the necessary unanimous agreement among its 27 members to impose sanctions on Israeli government ministers. Ireland, one of the EU’s most pro-Palestinian members, said it backed Borrell’s suggestion, but Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani dismissed the idea.