Europe Sends the Wrong Signal: Gideon Sa'ar

“Europe is sending the wrong signal, which strengthens Hamas and the radical coalition in the Middle East,” said Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, following European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's announcement that Brussels intends to limit cooperation with Tel Aviv and suspend the association agreement.

Sa'ar expressed regret over the comments made by the head of the European Commission, stating that “such behavior among partners is unacceptable.” He added, “Moreover, some of von der Leyen’s words resonate with the false propaganda of Hamas and its partners.”

In her annual address on the situation in the European Union, von der Leyen condemned the “artificial famine” in Gaza and Israel's “clear attempts” to undermine the “two-state solution.” Earlier this year, the EU decided to reevaluate its partnership with Israel, which began in 1995 (EU-Israel Association Agreement), in response to the ongoing hostilities in Gaza. However, due to deep disagreements among EU member states, no consensus has been reached on the matter so far.