Germany does not want to agree to EU-Israel sanctions

Wadephul pointed out that Germany was instead restricting arms deliveries to Israel. "I believe this is a very targeted measure that is very important and very necessary," said the CDU politician. It would affect military engagement. Scientific cooperation, on the other hand, makes sense.

At the end of July, the EU Commission proposed the immediate partial suspension of Israel's participation in the Horizon Europe research funding program. This is intended to increase pressure on the country to provide better humanitarian aid to the suffering people in the sealed-off Gaza Strip, where Israel is fighting the Islamist Hamas. Israeli companies could lose access to subsidies worth millions as a result of the punitive measure.

In detail, the sanctions proposal provides for Israeli institutions to no longer participate in certain projects funded by the European Innovation Council (EIC) for the time being. For example, start-ups and small companies working in the fields of cyber security, drones and artificial intelligence would be affected. The participation of Israeli universities and researchers in cooperation projects and research activities within the framework of Horizon would remain unaffected by the proposed measure, it said.

EU Commission sees blatant misconduct by Israel

The draft legal text states that Israel is violating human rights and international humanitarian law with its actions in the Gaza Strip and the resulting humanitarian catastrophe. This violates a fundamental principle of cooperation between the EU and Israel under the current Association Agreement. Thousands of civilian deaths and a rapidly increasing number of cases of extreme malnutrition, particularly among children, are also explicitly mentioned. Israel, on the other hand, defends its actions as a necessary response. Israel is demanding the release of all hostages. Another goal is to disempower and disarm the terrorist organization Hamas.

Whether the EU Commission's sanctions proposal can be implemented depends on whether it receives the support of a so-called qualified majority in the Council of Member States. Specifically, 15 of the 27 EU member states, which together represent at least 65% of the population of the participating member states, would have to agree. In the end, only Germany or Italy were still missing. All other large EU states and many smaller ones are in favor of the punitive measure.