EU-Israel faces rejection from Germany regarding the implementation of sanctions by the EU.

The European Union (EU) has proposed sanctions against Israel, following allegations of blatant misconduct and human rights violations in the Gaza Strip. However, the proposed measures have not been universally welcomed, with Germany initially refusing to agree to the sanctions.

The EU Commission's proposal includes the suspension of cooperation within the research funding program Horizon Europe. This suspension would initially prevent Israeli institutions from participating in certain projects funded by the European Innovation Council, affecting start-ups and small companies in fields like cybersecurity, drones, and artificial intelligence.

However, Germany has chosen a different approach, restricting arms exports to Israel instead. This decision has been met with criticism from CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter, who described it as a "serious political and strategic mistake by Germany."

Several EU countries have declared their approval of the EU Commission's proposed sanctions against Israel. However, the exact list of approving countries has not been fully detailed in the available sources. Recently, only the support of Germany or Italy was still lacking for the sanctions proposal, with all other major EU countries and many smaller ones in favour of the punitive measure.

The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, warned about the consequences of the failure of the "quite mild" commission proposal. She stated that if the EU is divided, it has no united voice on the global stage on this issue, which is problematic.

The draft legal text accuses Israel of violating human rights and international humanitarian law in the Gaza Strip, which contradicts a fundamental principle of cooperation between the EU and Israel under the existing association agreement. Thousands of Palestinians are at risk of death due to a hunger crisis caused by Israel in the Gaza Strip, according to Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares.

Israel, on the other hand, defends its actions as a necessary response. The country demands the release of all hostages, with another goal being to disarm and dismantle the terrorist organization Hamas.

The intense domestic political debate in Germany could potentially affect the German government's position on the sanctions proposal. The implementation of the EU Commission's sanctions proposal requires the approval of a qualified majority in the Council of Member States, specifically 15 of the 27 EU countries, representing at least 65% of the population of the participating member states.

It remains to be seen how this division among EU members will play out and whether the proposed sanctions will be implemented in full. The situation in the Gaza Strip continues to be a pressing concern for the international community.

EU-Israel faces rejection from Germany regarding the implementation of sanctions by the EU.