Sa’ar slams EU chief for ’empowering Hamas’ with Israel sanctions

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar sends a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, sharply criticizing her for “empowering” Hamas through her proposal to pressure Israel by suspending trade-related provisions of the European Union–Israel Association Agreement, a day before commissioners are set to adopt the measures.

“It is profoundly disturbing that you, by advancing such a proposal, are in practice empowering a terrorist organization responsible for and continuing to perpetrate heinous crimes, while Israel, a longstanding partner of the EU, fights an existential war,” Sa’ar writes.

Von der Leyen said last week that the European Commission will propose sanctions on far-right Israeli ministers and a partial suspension of the EU’s association agreement with Israel, targeting trade-related matters, over Israel’s wartime conduct in Gaza.

Sa’ar calls the proposal “replete with false accusations and legal flaws,” including bypassing due process and other EU rules, relying on a biased review singling out Israel and dismissing Israel’s input and humanitarian efforts, relying on unverified Hamas-controlled sources, and disregarding Israel’s right to defend its security during wartime.

The foreign minister also references remarks from United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio that “initiatives of this nature embolden Hamas, harden its stance, and undermine progress toward potential agreements.”

“Eighty years have passed since the Holocaust on European soil occurred,” Sa’ar adds, warning that “Europe harming Israel while there is an attempt to annihilate the surviving remnant of the Jewish people and its only state marks the trampling of every moral standard.”