Discussions surrounding potential European Union sanctions against Israel were reportedly minimal during a recent summit of European heads of state in Copenhagen, according to a statement by the German government. Steffen Meyer, the German government’s deputy spokesperson, indicated that the proposal put forth by the EU Commission was “addressed only marginally” responding to inquiries from the dts Nachrichtenagentur.
The shift in focus, Meyer explained, stems from the emergence of a new development related to a “peace plan” presented by the United States last week. Current governmental priorities, both for European leaders and the German government, are focused on supporting these ongoing efforts. Consequently, a decision regarding potential sanctions at the European level is not currently anticipated.
Just two weeks prior, the EU Commission had proposed suspending certain trade-related provisions within the association agreement between the EU and Israel. This included the possibility of directly sanctioning extremist Israeli ministers and violent settlers, alongside those associated with Hamas. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had previously emphasized the necessity of ending the “horrific events” occurring daily in Gaza.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz, during a recent visit to Madrid – a region known for its critical stance towards Israel – had previously signaled an intention to use the period leading up to the Copenhagen summit to develop a unified position within the German government. Whether this objective was achieved remains unclear.