Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar sent a sharp letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, ahead of tomorrow’s (Wednesday) discussion on proposals to suspend trade clauses in the agreement with Israel.
In his letter, Sa’ar noted that the proposal was raised “without any prior notice, in a rush, without any consultation with us, and contrary to the spirit of the agreement,” calling it an “unprecedented” move that has never been applied against any other country.
The letter contained severe criticisms of both the proposal itself and the sources of information it relied upon, expressing concern that EU action could strengthen Hamas and endanger efforts to restore calm.
“This unprecedented proposal, which has never been applied against any other country, constitutes a clear attempt to harm Israel while we are still fighting a war imposed on us following the terror attack of October 7—the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. This existential war is being waged against Hamas and other terrorist organizations in Gaza, while we are simultaneously attacked by the Houthis in Yemen,” the Foreign Minister wrote.
According to Sa’ar, the proposal effectively empowers the murderous terrorist organization Hamas. “It is extremely troubling that the promotion of such a proposal effectively grants power to a terrorist organization responsible for horrific crimes and continuing to commit them, while Israel—a long-standing partner of the European Union—is engaged in an existential war. This also endangers ongoing efforts to bring the war to an end.”
He further stressed that pressuring Israel through sanctions is ineffective and emphasized Israel’s right to defend itself: “The State of Israel is a sovereign and proud nation. We will not yield to threats when our security is at stake.”
Sa’ar also criticized the procedural handling of the proposal, claiming it violated principles of fairness and good faith: “You did not even meet the minimum requirements of a fair process and acted in bad faith. Israel was not given sufficient notice of the current proposal, nor was it given even the smallest opportunity to respond.”
He added a sharp critique regarding the reliability of the information: “The President and the Union rely heavily on unverified and distorted data under Hamas control. In doing so, the EU is playing into Hamas’ hands and its calculated strategy to harm Israel and undermine its right to exist.”
“Eighty years have passed since the Holocaust occurred on European soil, where six million of our people were murdered. We established a homeland for the Jewish people in their ancestral land, and we fight tirelessly for our lives and security. Harming Israel by Europe, at a time when attempts are being made to annihilate the remaining survivors of the Jewish people and their sole state, constitutes a trampling of every moral norm and a disregard for Europe’s historical responsibility,” Sa’ar concluded.