The EU¡¯s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Mr. Kallas, announced a series of sanctions against Israel, including the partial suspension of issues related to trade in the EU-Israel Partnership Agreement.

But Kallas said the EU will not suspend trade with Israel.The decision was passed on the same day at the European Commission meeting, but still needs to be approved by EU member states and will come into effect 30 days after being approved.

Will the EU¡¯s announcement of sanctions on Israel really push Israel to adjust its policy in Gaza and will there be greater disagreements between ¡°escalation of sanctions¡± and ¡°maintaining cooperation¡± within the EU?

EU sanctions finally passed.

Professor of the Chinese Arab National Institute of Research at Ningxia University ţдº:This time, the European Commission passed sanctions against Israel, which can be said to be the first step in the change of EU policy towards Israel. This sanction has now been passed by the European Commission. To be implemented, the next step is to send it to the European Council for approval. The Council of the European Union is composed of 27 EU countries. According to the rules, the Council of the European Union needs a qualified majority before it can be implemented. Qualified majority means that 55% of EU member states must agree, that is to say, at least 15 member states agree. At the same time, these 15 countries must cover 65% of the total population of the EU. Therefore, it is still difficult to pass it. As long as one or two big countries in the 27 EU countries disagree, this resolution cannot be passed.

The sanctions also include imposing sanctions on two far-right ministers in Israel, the Israeli Ministry of National Security and the Israeli Minister of Finance. The sanctions on these two people require unanimous approval by all member states of the Council of the European Union, so it is also very difficult. Based on the current situation, EU leaders consider that the likelihood of this resolution being passed in member states is relatively small and that it will be passed in the future by requiring a shift in attitude by some of the major countries in the EU.

EU sanctions will have a major psychological impact on Israel

Professor of the Chinese Arab National Institute of Research at Ningxia University ţдº:If this resolution is passed, the impact on Israel will be mainly political, diplomatic, moral and psychological, because this time only sanctions on some of the goods that Israel exports to the European Union.