France raises spectre of sanctions on Israel amid growing international pressure
French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne has said that sanctions are among the instruments that can be used to force Israel into opening humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, joining growing pressure on the country from some of its staunchest Western allies, after the killing of seven aid workers by the Israeli military.
‘There must be levers of influence and there are multiple levers, going up to sanctions to let humanitarian aid cross check points,’ Sejourne told RFI radio and France 24 television, reported by Reuters. ‘France was one of the first countries to propose European Union sanctions on Israeli settlers who are committing acts of violence in the West Bank. We will continue if needed to obtain the opening of humanitarian aid,’ he said.
In Britain, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been under increased pressure from senior politicians to suspend weapons exports following the killings of the WCK workers – three Britons, a dual US-Canadian national, an Australian, a Pole and a Palestinian. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron warned in an article in the Sunday Times that UK support for Israel is ‘not unconditional.’ Nevertheless, this week he will be setting out the UK’s reasoning for continuing the arms exports, as the Guardian reported British ministers facing ongoing pressure to disclose the official legal advice on the trade, which Downing Street said it does not plan to disclose.
In Washington, former House speaker Nancy Pelosi – a staunch Israel supporter and Biden ally – has joined more than 50 Democratic Congress members in calling for a stop to weapons transfers to the Jewish state. ‘We write to express our shared concern and outrage regarding the recent Israeli airstrike which killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers, including an American citizen. In light of this incident, we strongly urge you to reconsider your recent decision to authorize the transfer of a new arms package to Israel, and to withhold this and any future offensive arms transfers until a full investigation into the airstrike is completed,’ the signatories said in a letter addressed to Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
German state broadcaster DW reported on X that 600 civil servants in Germany have signed a letter to the government demanding, ‘Germany must cease all weapons deliveries to Israel with immediate effect.’
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/david-cameron-israel-uk-war-gaza-qlqqmkzjf
