EU proposes to limit funding for Israel due to humanitarian crisis in Gaza

• The EU is considering limiting funding for Israel due to the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
• The proposal requires the support of a majority of member states for implementation.
• Some countries are calling for the suspension of trade agreements with Israel.

The European Commission has proposed to restrict Israel's access to EU research funds in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This proposal is the first collective step taken in over 21 months of conflict between Israel and Hamas, during which over 60,000 Palestinians have been killed.

Since the beginning of June, the Netherlands has blocked the verification of Israel's compliance with human rights obligations under the association agreement with the EU. Sweden has also supported this request. On June 23, an EU representative acknowledged human rights violations by Israel in Gaza.

The proposal from the European Commission concerns the limitation of participation of Israeli companies in the Horizon Europe program, which funds innovative projects. To ensure that this plan remains viable, support from at least 15 of the 27 EU member states, representing 65% of the bloc's population, is needed.

However, the proposal has already met opposition from several countries, including Germany, Italy, and Hungary, which oppose any sanctions against Israel. The German government categorically rejects sanctions, asserting that such actions are unacceptable among friends.

In addition, some countries, such as Sweden and the Netherlands, are calling for the suspension of trade agreements with Israel, citing Israel's failure to comply with humanitarian aid obligations in Gaza. At the same time, Slovenia announced a ban on military trade with Israel, which has become the first such case among EU countries.

Tags: Europe/Middle East/Politics