In the wake of the UK sanctioning two Israeli government ministers for inciting violence and violating human rights in Gaza, the EU must do the same, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson.
Senator Stephenson said:
“The EU response to the genocide in Gaza has been shameful. It has failed to suspend the EU-Israel Association agreement and failed to impose any serious sanctions.
“The only sanction that has been imposed is on a minority of violent Israeli settlers – just 113 people and 31 companies are currently sanctioned with travel bans and asset freezes.
“This is despite the fact that more than 500,000 settlers are illegally occupying land in the West Bank – with the Israeli government recently announcing plans for further massive expansion of settlements.
“The UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Norway have now jointly sanctioned Israeli far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, while the EU is conspicuous by its absence.
“The EU must now act. The entire Netanyahu regime has blood on its hands and must face consequence, including, at the very least, travel bans and asset freezes.
“If the EU refuses to act, our government can go it alone and impose travel bans and sanctions on those orchestrating a genocide and an illegal land grab.
“The government must also act to stop the Central Bank facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds, which are financing bombs and bullets being used to murder and maim Palestinians.
“It has another chance to do so today when the Dáil votes on a cross-party motion brought forward by the Social Democrats.
“Ireland has a legal responsibility to do whatever it can to stop a genocide from occurring or persisting. Today, the government must do the right thing and step across onto the right side of history.”
June 11th, 2025