EU top diplomat ‘not optimistic’ on bloc imposing sanctions on Israel
A meeting of foreign ministers in Denmark today will debate a proposal to suspend EU funding to Israeli start-ups as initial punishment for Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
However, the bloc has so far failed to garner the majority needed to take that step – let alone move ahead with more forceful measures against Israel.
“I’m not very optimistic, and today we are definitely not going to adopt decisions,” Kallas told journalists at the start of the meeting. “It sends a signal that we are divided.”
Splits within the EU between countries backing Israel and those favouring the Palestinians have seen the 27-nation bloc often left hamstrung in the face of the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
France says US should not deny Palestinians access to UN General Assembly
Following the Trump administration’s decision to reject visas for PA and PLO officials, France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said there should be no restrictions on access to next month’s UN General Assembly meeting.
“A UN General Assembly meeting … should not be subject to any restrictions on access,” Barrot said at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Denmark.
A string of ministers in Copenhagen echoed France’s call for the United States to allow access to the Palestinian delegation.
The extraordinary step by Washington comes as France is leading a push to recognise the Palestinian state at the gathering of world leaders in New York. The move further aligns US President Donald Trump’s administration with Israel’s government, which is waging a war in Gaza.
Under an agreement as host of the United Nations in New York, the United States is not supposed to refuse visas for officials heading to the world body.
