The High Representative of the Union, Kaja Kallas, and the Irish Foreign Minister, Helen McEntee, both acknowledged, on Tuesday 9 June, a change in the attitude of EU Member States towards measures against Israel. The two women are not, however, aligned on the objectives that could be achieved.
“There is certainly a change of attitude”, Ms Kallas explained, recalling the sanctions adopted against violent settlers and members of Hamas, after months of deadlock (see EUROPE 13876/17). According to her, “the question is whether this change is sufficient, because for the sanctions [against extremist ministers], we need all the countries to agree. We don’t have that. When it comes to trade issues [linked to the Association Agreement], we need a qualified majority. We don’t have that either at the moment”. She stressed that: “Clearly we see shifts, but the question is whether it's enough to move forward”.
The minister, who has sat at the Council of the EU since last November, said, “in that short space of time, I have seen a significant shift in the response from Member States, in the language from Member States, but also in the views of Member States as to what should happen next”. Ms McEntee claimed that a majority would be possible for a ban on trade with Israeli settlements, which are illegal under international law.
She called on the European Commission to make a proposal to that effect, which it has still not done, despite requests from several Member States. “I believe that this would have a greater level of support from Member States, not unanimity, but I do believe that this would have a greater chance of receiving a qualified majority vote”, she explained, considering that this was “the best way in which we can bring forward a peaceful solution and the objective of a two-state solution”. And she warned that “the only way that we can bring about change and a direction change from the Israeli government is where the EU responds collectively”.
Helen McEntee is due to present a bill to ban trade with the settlements to the lower house of the Irish Parliament on Wednesday. Belgium and the Netherlands are working on similar measures. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)