EU Ministers Review Measures Against Israel Due To West Bank Annexation

Punitive action: EU ministers review responses to Israel annexation in West Bank

 TOI STAFF

European Union foreign ministers were set to meet Friday to consider potential measures against Israel over its plan to annex parts of the West Bank.

The ministers were expected to meet virtually due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

Several European nations led by France, and including Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Spain and Luxembourg, have reportedly expressed support for threats of punitive action in a bid to deter the new Israeli government — set to be sworn in on Sunday — from carrying out the move with a green light from Washington.

On Tuesday EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said annexation plans and the union’s response to them would be “the most important item on the agenda” of Friday’s meeting.

The EU bloc is Israel’s largest trading partner, grants Israel favored trading status, and helps fund Israeli scientific research and development through its massive Horizon 2020 program.

Proposed steps include announcing that Israel would be prevented from entering into trade agreements with the bloc, receiving EU grants or participating in other forms of cooperation with the union.

It is not clear if the steps would apply to future agreements or freeze existing ones.

As part of their coalition agreement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White party chief Benny Gantz agreed that the government can begin moving forward with applying Israeli sovereignty to settlements and the Jordan Valley after July 1, a move expected to enjoy backing from a majority of lawmakers in the Knesset.

Though Gantz is believed to oppose unilateral action, he acquiesced to Netanyahu’s demand to allow the matter to be brought to a vote in parliament.

Borrell said that once the new government was sworn in he would speak with the new foreign minister, Gantz ally Gabi Ashkenazi, to receive information on the Israeli plans moving forward.

“There is clearly a need to look at what annexation means in the context of international law and we do need to know our options,” a senior EU diplomat told Reuters earlier this week. “We also need to say what exactly the consequences of annexation would be, ideally as a way to stop any such move.”