Strasbourg, France – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced that the European Union will implement new measures against Israel and increase support for Ukraine.

In her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen condemned the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic” and outlined plans to cut support for Israel and impose sanctions.

The proposed package of measures includes sanctions on extremist Israeli ministers and settlers, suspension of bilateral support for Israel, and suspension of the EU’s association agreement with Israel, which grants preferential access to European markets.

“Man-made famine can never be a weapon of war. For the sake of the children, for the sake of humanity, this must stop,” von der Leyen declared, emphasizing the need for the EU to take responsibility for addressing the crisis.

However, the EU chief’s announcement has drawn criticism from Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, who accused von der Leyen of echoing Hamas propaganda and sending the “wrong message” that strengthens radical elements in the Middle East.

“The remarks made this morning by the President of the European Commission are regrettable. Some of them also echo the false propaganda of Hamas and its partners,” Saar wrote on social media.

“Once again, Europe is sending the wrong message, which strengthens Hamas and the radical axis in the Middle East.”

In addition to the measures against Israel, von der Leyen also outlined plans to increase support for Ukraine.

She proposed a summit to coordinate international efforts to secure the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia and suggested using frozen Russian assets to fund a “reparations loan” for Ukraine.

The EU has imposed 18 rounds of sanctions on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and provided nearly 140 billion euros in support to Ukraine.

Von der Leyen emphasized the need for the EU to accelerate efforts to phase out all purchases of Russian fossil fuels and to sanction the shadow oil shipping fleet used to circumvent such measures.

“Europe needs to do more,” she said, adding that while she would attempt to move the bloc in unison, EU member states also needed to take “our own responsibility” on the issue.

Despite the EU’s efforts, there are likely to be obstacles to implementing these measures.

Unanimous agreement is required to impose sanctions, and some member states, such as Hungary and Slovakia, remain dependent on Russian energy and have blocked previous actions. The 27-member bloc also remains divided over action regarding Israel’s war on Gaza.

Other member states, such as Spain and Ireland, have been calling for economic curbs and an arms embargo against Israel for some time.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said that the “double standards” demonstrated by the West over the wars in Ukraine and Gaza threaten to undermine its global standing.

The EU’s plans to impose measures against Israel and increase support for Ukraine reflect the bloc’s commitment to upholding human rights and international law.

However, the challenges and divisions within the EU highlight the complexity of navigating international relations and balancing competing interests.

As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the EU will address these challenges and work towards a more unified approach.