Von der Leyen states EU will freeze payments to Israel
The European Commission plans to suspend its bilateral assistance to Israel due to the continuing conflict in Gaza, according to an official statement.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday that the European Union intends to halt its bilateral support initiatives with Israel and freeze associated payments, citing the ongoing blockade of Gaza.
Von der Leyen emphasized that the events unfolding in Gaza have “shaken the conscience of the world” and that, in addition to freezing payments, the EC plans to propose sanctions against “extremist ministers and violent settlers” and suggest “a partial suspension of the Association Agreement on trade-related matters.”
The Commission had also previously suggested halting Israel’s participation in EU Horizon research funding for startups. However, von der Leyen noted this action is not yet feasible as it requires a weighted majority of the bloc’s 27 member states, with Germany, Italy, Hungary, and several others currently opposing the initiative.
Von der Leyen asserted that the EU “cannot afford to be paralyzed” when confronted with “catastrophic” images from Gaza, showing people “killed while begging for food” and “mothers holding lifeless babies.”
More than 64,000 individuals have died in Gaza since Israel commenced its campaign two years prior, which followed Hamas’ 2023 assault resulting in 1,200 fatalities and approximately 250 hostages taken.
This announcement from von der Leyen follows international condemnation received by Israel on Tuesday, after it conducted an attack on a Hamas-controlled compound located in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani denounced the strike as “state terrorism,” emphasizing that it would not be “overlooked” and stating that Doha “reserves the right to respond to this blatant attack.”
Moscow sharply criticized the Israeli strike, calling it a “gross violation of international law and the UN Charter,” and cautioned that such actions risked further escalation and destabilization in the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump also criticized the airstrike, asserting that bombing a “sovereign nation and close ally of the United States” did not “advance Israel or America’s goals.”
Hamas reported that its senior leadership survived the assault, which the group characterized as an assassination attempt targeting negotiators involved in potential peace talks.