By Tass
Copyright tass
TEL AVIV, September 17. /TASS/. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen rejecting the idea of EU sanctions against his country.
Copies of the letter, which was released by the Israeli foreign ministry, were sent to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, and top diplomats of EU countries.
“Regarding your intention to submit in the upcoming meeting of the College of Commissioners – without any prior notice, in “blitz” speed and without any consultation with us and against the spirit of the Association Agreement – a proposal to suspend certain trade-related provisions of the Association Agreement. This unprecedented proposal, that has never been implemented against any other country, constitutes a clear attempt to harm Israel while we are still fighting a war imposed on us by the October 7 [2023] terror attack – the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. This existential war is being fought against Hamas and the terrorist organizations in Gaza, while we are still being attacked also by the Houthis in Yemen,” Sa’ar wrote.
According to the top Israeli diplomat, the European Union’s potential sanctions based on “unverified and manipulated data” will play in the hand of Israel’s enemies, first of all the Palestinian radical movement Hamas. “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. It also jeopardizes the ongoing efforts to end the war,” the letter reads.
He noted that in the context of potential trade restrictions, the EU countries have “failed to meet even minimal due process requirements and have acted in bad faith. “You have not given Israel any adequate notice regarding its current proposal, and failed to provide Israel even the slightest opportunity to respond,” he pointed out.
“The State of Israel is a proud sovereign nation, and we will not be bent through threats while Israel’s security is at stake,” he emphasized.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on September 10 that the EC intends to curb cooperation with Israel, impose sanctions against members of its government, and suspend the Association Agreement with the EU. This proposal is expected to be considered on Wednesday, September 17.
