Borrell: EU’s response to Gaza "toothless", trade suspension needed

Former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell sharply criticised the European Commission’s decision to suspend Israel from the Horizon research programme, calling it a “bad joke” given the ongoing atrocities in Gaza.

“If this is the only response... it’s a joke. A bad joke,” he told EUobserver, stressing that member states have not even agreed to it yet.

The suspension targets Israeli small business access to the €10.1 billion European Innovation Council accelerator, a move Hungary, Austria, Bulgaria, and the Czech Republic have opposed. Broader sanctions, potentially targeting Israeli trade benefits worth €1 billion annually, are expected if the situation in Gaza worsens.

“There are many more significant things that could be done,” Borrell argued, urging the EU to consider suspending its trade agreement with Israel. “I believe Israeli society should have to pay a significant price for what settlers are doing in the West Bank.”

He criticised member states’ reluctance to sanction Israel, noting the disparity with how the EU handled Russian aggression. “For far less than this, we’ve removed visas for citizens of other countries. We sanctioned thousands in Russia for less.”

Borrell condemned Israeli settlement expansion — now over 700,000 settlers — as “a bloody and violent occupation” that is illegal under international law and a major obstacle to peace. He recalled his failed attempt to push for the suspension of political ties with Israel: “They said no, no, no — no way.”

He also called the 2024 EU-Israel agreement to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza “cynical” and an “excuse” to avoid sanctions. Although Israel agreed to open crossings and allow in food and fuel, many of those commitments remain unmet.

“We were about to sanction Israel, but now that they’ve said they’re going to behave, we’re not in such a hurry anymore,” he remarked sarcastically.

The war began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking roughly 250 hostages.

As of late July, over 60,000 people have been killed in Gaza, including 18,000 children, according to local health authorities.

By Tamilla Hasanova