EU Mulls Sanctions on Israel as Spain, Ireland and Norway Recognize ‘Palestinian State’
Also, initial IDF probe: Secondary explosions in Hamas weapons dump caused Rafah civilian deaths.
The European Union is considering sanctions against Israel as member states Spain, Ireland and Norway officially recognize “Palestinian state.”
The threat of sanctions is aimed at forcing Israel to stop the ongoing military operation against Hamas terrorists in the Rafah terrorist stronghold, European media reports suggest. The EU “foreign affairs ministers raised the prospect of placing sanctions on Israel in a “real way” for the first time over its continued military campaign in the besieged city of Rafah in Gaza,” the Irish Times reported Monday evening citing the country’s foreign minister.
The move comes as Spain and Norway and Ireland formally recognized the “Palestinian State” in a coordinated bid to pressure other European states to follow suit. “Spain and Norway, along with Ireland, became the most recent countries to recognize Palestinian statehood on Tuesday,” Germany’s state-run DW TV reported. “The three European countries had planned a simultaneous recognition in the hopes that its symbolism would spur other countries to also commit to recognition.”
The French TV channel Euronews reported EU’s bid to sanction Israel:
European Union foreign ministers unanimously agreed on Monday to call for an Association Council with Israel to discuss the country’s compliance with its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel trade deal, also known as the Association Agreement.
The bloc also intends to use the meeting to confront Netanyahu’s government about its compliance with Friday’s ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which ordered Israel to halt its intended military offensive in the city of Rafah.
The move comes three months after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and the then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar first made a plea for the urgent review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, citing serious concerns over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and potential violations of human rights and international law. (…)
“We got the necessary unanimity to call for an Association Council with Israel to discuss the situation in Gaza (…) and the respect of human rights under the obligations that Israel has assumed under the Association Council and how they plan to implement the ruling of the court,” Borrell told reporters, referring to Friday’s ruling by the Hague-based court.
“But what we have seen since the court has issued its ruling (is) not the stop of military activities but on the contrary an increase in the military activities, an increase in the bombing and an increase in the casualties to the civilian people, as we have seen last night,” Borrell added.
Report: IDF tanks enter central Rafah, Israel deploys additional brigade
Almost three week after Israel launched the military operation on Rafah stronghold, the IDF tanks were rolling into the terrorist-held city center, news reports suggest. “In central Rafah, tanks and armoured vehicles mounted with machineguns were spotted near Al-Awda mosque,” Reuters reported Tuesday citing local eyewitnesses. “The Israeli military said its forces continued to operate in the Rafah area, without commenting on reported advances into the city centre.”
Meanwhile, Israel dispatched more troops to the Rafah theater as military operation expands. “The IDF has deployed an additional brigade to southern Gaza’s Rafah, as the offensive against Hamas there continues,” The Times of Israel reported Tuesday. “The Bislamach Brigade — the School for Infantry Corps Professions and Squad Commanders during war time — joins the 162nd Division’s other brigades that have been operating in Rafah since earlier this month.”
The miliary is locating and destroying Hamas’s terrorist fighting capabilities in Rafah. “IDF troops continued to operate in the Rafah area,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) revealed in a press release Tuesday morning. “Overnight, IDF troops operated on the Philadelphi Corridor while conducting precise operational activity based on intelligence indicating the presence of terror targets in the area.
“The activity is being conducted as efforts are continuing to be made in order to prevent harm to uninvolved civilians in the area,” the IDF added. “The troops are engaging with terrorists in close-quarters combat and locating terror tunnel shafts, weapons, and additional terrorist infrastructure in the area.”
Initial IDF probe: Secondary explosions in Hamas weapons dump caused Rafah civilian deaths
The initial Israeli investigation has found that an IDF airstrike on Hamas terrorist compound in Rafah was at least a kilometer away from the site of explosion that killed dozens of Gazan civilians. The deadly blast was likely caused by Hamas’s munitions stored in the humanitarian zone, preliminary finding show.
The targeted strike in Rafah, 1.7 km from the humanitarian area, used precise munitions carrying 34kg of explosives to eliminate 2 senior Hamas terrorists.
We are looking into the possibility of secondary explosions from a Hamas ammunition warehouse near the civilian compound… pic.twitter.com/DicBs9BVUd
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 28, 2024
IDF “targeted a closed structure away from the tent area. There are no tents in the immediate vicinity.” IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a press statement Tuesday.
.@IDFSpokesperson Daniel Hagari has given the following update regarding the IDF strike in #Rafah. That seems like some compelling evidence that #Hamas munitions/combustible substance caused a secondary explosion that led to the tragedy. cc: @piersmorgan pic.twitter.com/n5UX9XF8ey
— 🎗️ David Lange (@Israellycool) May 28, 2024
On Monday, an overnight Israeli airstrike eliminated two senior Hamas terror commanders. Following the strike a blast was reported in Tal al-Sultan area near Rafah.
The incident triggered a wave of international condemnation, with several Western governments blaming Israel for the death of 45 Gaza civilians. Axios reported Monday that the White House was assessing if the incident “is a violation of President Biden’s “red line”.”
Since the Rafah operation began early May, the IDF has uncovered several weapons cache scattered across the area — hidden in schools, homes and terror tunnels beneath residential buildings.
YNET reported the IDF’s finding:
The initial investigation of Monday’s precision airstrike in northern Rafah has not definitively identified the cause of the fatal fire, in which dozens of displaced Gazans were killed. The Southern Command submitted to IDF Chief of Staff Major General Herzi Halevi on Monday night the findings of the initial investigation of the incident at the beginning of the week in which two senior officers from the West Bank Hamas headquarters, who were in the town of Tel al-Sultan near Rafah, were killed in an Israeli Air Force attack.
Halevi requested additional information and data, and the investigation is expected to continue, but from the initial findings that the IDF is now also presenting to the foreign media, it appears that the point of the attack was defined as an area from which Hamas carried out terrorist operations; Some 47 meters from the point of attack there was a Hamas rocket launcher, and a kilometer separated the safe zone that the IDF had set up for the displaced and the point of attack.
It also appears that the two men who were eliminated were inside a closed complex and not in the nearby internally displaced persons camp being used by civilians.
In the attack, the Air Force used weapons that have been used hundreds of times in recent months – two small missiles launched from fighter jets, each carrying 17 kilograms of explosives in its warhead. The warhead was small to prevent civilian casualties.
The army says that these munitions were not mean to set fire to the refugee tent complex. “We have a suspicion, following intelligence surveillance and analysis of the videos from the event that were distributed on social networks, that secondary explosions at the site were caused by Hamas ammunition storage. This suspicion is under investigation,” the IDF said in a statement.
The facts about the IDF strike in Rafah:
🔴 The IDF targeted two senior Hamas terrorists it had tracked by aerial surveillance to a Hamas compound in Rafah🔴 The IDF confirmed no women or children were in the compound before striking
🔴 The strike took place more than a mile… pic.twitter.com/aY7HeldJKo
— Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) May 28, 2024
IDF operating in northern and central Gaza, hitting Hezbollah terror targets in south Lebanon
Israeli ground forces were operating in northern and central Gaza, preventing Hamas from rallying terrorist fighters as the main battle rages in the south. “IDF troops are continuing to operate in the northern Gaza Strip, eliminating terrorists and locating weapons in the area,” the military disclosed Tuesday. “IDF troops are intensifying operations in the central Gaza Strip.”
The IDF is also responding to continued cross-border rocket fire from Hezbollah positions in Lebanon. In an overnight strike, the Israel air force hit Hezbollah terror targets. “IAF fighter jets struck a number of Hezbollah terror targets in Lebanese territory, including a weapons storage facility in the area of Meiss El Jabal and military structures in the areas of Ayta ash Shab and Khiam,” the Israel military said.
Three anti-tank missiles were fired from Lebanon at the Shtula area in northern Israel a short while ago.
The IDF says there are no injuries in the attack.
Meanwhile, fighter jets hit several Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon overnight.
According to the IDF, the sites… pic.twitter.com/lDAi7K2mX0
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 28, 2024
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Comments
So, where are they going to put their embassy?
Will it have terrorist tunnels under it? Will it have terrorist rockets and missiles fired from it? Will it employ terrorists, or merely shield them? What will be its reaction when terrorists accidentally hit it with rockets?
Presumably they’re recognizing the PA, not Hamas, so their embassy would be in Ramallah, well away from the current fighting. I don’t think anyone has any idea whether there are tunnels under Ramallah.
“death of 45 Gaza civilians”
This is a pittance compared to what pales have done, and Pales was intentional where Israel goes to great lengths to protect people who probably do not deserve such consideration.
The European Union. A Paper Tiger, a pseudo country without a military force. Unless of course the German Nazis are resurrected to renew their murder of Jews. That will be fun to watch. See you at The Hague for Round 2.
This would be the same EU who is rattling sabres about sending their ground forces into the Ukraine to blunt the Russian advances. And in a few notable cases, is laying the groundwork for ejecting their African and Middle Eastern illegal immigrants.
They may want to leave Israel to its business. Zapatero, a tus zapatos.
I have to wonder if any of these countries considered having Hamas as their geographical neighbor.
Me, I can’t wait for the Exchange Student program to be established.
It’s amazing, this kind of stupid doesn’t happen by accident
Remember how much money we spend protecting the EU which unlike Israel is actually under American military protection (i.e. bases, permanent military deployments guarantees and military budget size being geared towards defending the EU). If Biden wasn’t 200% on board this would not be happening.
Were I president, I would told those people that they’re on their own beginning with a date specific. I would then start bringing home the troops and the equipment.
US military props up economies that don’t need propping up. Uncle Sucker needs to wise up. EU talks big but hide behind the skirts (literally now) of the US.
The EU talks big. The NATO country’s will in fact do nothing but hold our coats while we do the work.
If it is or isn’t in our interest to protect Europe it gives us all of the political leverage we need there and means anything out of them is American Government approved.
These are Biden sanctions, discussed with Biden and approved by Biden.
That top pic… the background keeps making me think it’s Jeopardy!. It just looks so… pseudo-serious.
“I’ll take weak and ineffective government bodies for $1,000 Alex.”
I suspect the EU knows this operation will not be stopped therefore one must conclude that the actual objective of this is for consumption by their local Muslim populations and therefore solely to keep their Muslim populations quiet.
So Spain Ireland and Noway
walk into a UN bar……..
(and aoc is the bartender)
Stop all aid to Spain, Norway, Ireland and Pales for the duration of hostilities. That would be a diplomatic of the message.
What aid do they get?
just them knowing that the usa has their military back
the usa imf
etc
And how do you cut that off? Announce that anyone is free to invade those countries and we will not lift a finger to stop it?!
Rewarding the evil, goose-stepping, genocidal, Jew-hating Fakestinian Arab invaders from Arabia, with any sort of state and/or diplomatic recognition, represents utterly wicked, despicable, feckless and indefensible appeasement of and rewarding of, Islamofascism and Muslim supremacism. This will not end well.
The Fakestinians have already established de facto states in the West Bank and in Gaza, and, after decades of self-rule and the receipt of hundreds of billions of dollars of Gulf State, U.S. and E.U. aid money, turned both territories into corrupt, impoverished, belligerent and totalitarian failed states. How stupid are the E.U. apparatchiks, and, the dhimmi diplomats/ruling class of Spain, Norway and Ireland, to not recognize this fact, and, to believe that an officially recognized Fakestinian state would produce a different outcome?
Because those billions end up in the pockets of the “leaders” who go to Davos and seem like such Progressive guys, and they invite the other big wigs to Dubai for some private debauchery and such.
They don’t care about the people (in either Gaza, the West Bank, or Israel. Nor in Spain, Ireland, or Norway.
Upvote sorry big thumb
No worries; it’s the thought that counts. 🙂
I would hope that Spain, Ireland, and Norway would find themselves with no diplomatic relations with Israel, no embassies in Israel [and no Israeli embassies in those countries, and trade severely restricted or cut off, That should also preclude visas to nationals of those three EU countries. To the extent possible, business relations should be cut off.
If the EU as a whole imposes sanctions, they should be matched at least from Israel.
Subotai Bahadur
The Israel tech industry rise making Israel powerful was an illusion. The Israeli tech industry is impressive but what you are seeing now is it was Donald Trump’s moral clarity in foreign affairs that stopped the Israel hate movement.
10x thumbs up
IMO these countries are just posturing. Hamas publicly has vowed “to repeat attacks on Israel ‘again and again’ until it’s destroyed.” Ceasefires mean nothing to them – just a tactic until they can attack again. A disarmed Gaza is the only way the bloodshed stops. That only happens if Israel destroys Hamas’ fighting capability or they surrender. That is Hamas’ choice and the fact they have not surrendered shows how much they care about the civilians who elected them into power (and Hamas uses as human shields).
I am not at all surprised that Spain, Ireland and Norway chose to do such a monumentally stupid act as to recognize Palestine as a formal state. I lost respect for Norway when they awarded that moron Algore the Nobel Peace Prize for absolutely no reason, then the same with Barack Odimbulb. Spain? They tend to be crazy for the sake of being plumb crazy. Also, their current government is so crooked, they won’t be buried—they’ll be screwed into the ground. Ireland? Well, they always have to be different, even if they really are not. They love to piss people off, like some miscreant juvenile who will end up as a perpetual ne’er-do-well. What the EU is going to do will be nothing more than a mild slap on the wrist and an equivalent of “I expected better” from a mildly irritated helicopter mom. 🙄
The Norwegian government does not decide the Nobel prizes.
Spain’s got a socialist government like Venezuela or (now) Colombia.
And the Irish have a long and sorry history of antisemitism.
Nobel Peace prizes?
Yes. The Norwegian government does not decide them. The prizes are awarded by a committee that is completely independent of the government.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee, opens new tab, which consists of five individuals appointed by the Norwegian parliament
https://www.reuters.com/world/how-is-nobel-peace-prize-decided-2023-09-29/
I know that many of the commenters will not like to hear or read that though the EU or any nation that will curse Israel; and make no mistake they are very much cursing Israel, that it comes with a promise from God as has been explicitly clear when He said “And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” Take it with a grain of salt if you wish but at peril.
Somebody suggested that children and other relatives of these EU chaps be taken hostage?
Susan Sarandan’s family?
Bill Burr’s children?
What would be the response?
How have so many otherwise-sane people lost their minds today? since October 7th
burr is as f os as is chappelle
Exactly, what parts of Spain, Ireland and Norway are to be this new ‘Palestinian State’ ?
ITS TIME for the world to do as Gov DeS and Texas Gov Abbott did with the illegals that came to their states and the northern Lefty states were allll for the invasion
ship the plo to these “thirsty” for their plo bros,
to Spain, Ireland, Norway aka
S.I.N