The European Commission President’s proposed sanctions on Israel, while a belated step in the right direction, fall well short of what’s required to stop the genocide in Gaza, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson.
Senator Stephenson said:
“We are now almost two years into this devastating conflict, which has left more than 64,000 Gazans dead and countless more facing starvation. At every stage, the EU hierarchy – including President Ursula von der Leyen – have dragged their heels as the world watched helplessly at the unfolding horror in Gaza.
“The President’s proposed sanctions on extremist Israeli ministers and settlers are long overdue but do not go far enough. For this to be effective, we also need to see sanctions against settler organisations to starve them of funds.
“Ms von der Leyen’s call for a partial suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement is also a half-baked measure – nothing short of the full suspension of this trade agreement is required to put real pressure on Netanyahu’s murderous regime.
“President von der Leyen’s boast that EU aid to Gaza far outweighs that of any other partner is meaningless. Not only does Israel continue to exert full control over the distribution of food and emergency supplies, but its troops have brutally murdered innocent people as they queued for it.
“Similarly, the European Commission President’s commitment to set up a Palestinian Donor Group, including a dedicated instrument for Gaza reconstruction, will mean nothing if Israeli forces are not stopped by the international community from razing every building to the ground.
“The EU has already suffered reputational damage due to its cowardly response to Israel’s war crimes. Member states now need to step up to ensure Europe does not end up on the wrong side of history.”
September 10, 2025