SWEDEN AND THE Netherlands are the two latest countries to call on the EU to suspend trade with Israel and issue sanctions on its military and militant group Hamas.

A joint-letter from the foreign ministers, sent to their EU counterpart Kaja Kallas, has called for targeted measures to be implemented on the Israeli government over its war crimes in Gaza.

Kallas has been continuously criticised for inaction following the completion of an EU report this year, which stated that Israel was in breach of human rights obligations included in the two parties’ trade agreement over its action in Gaza.

Caspar Veldkamp resigned as the Netherlands’ foreign minister last week after the Dutch cabinet failed to agree on new national sanctions against Israel over its tactics in the Gaza war, and was replaced by Ruben Brekelmans – who sent the letter to the EU today.

In their letter, Sweden’s minister Malmer Stenergard, who has been calling for sanction on the groups since May, and Brekelmans asked the EU to introduce targeted sanctions on “extremist” Israeli ministers and settlers and work towards a two-state solution.

Ten measures, including the suspension of trade and sanctioning ministers, have been drafted by the EU but has so fare not been actioned. Kallas, like many of her colleagues in the Commission, has said that the decision to take action is one for ministers to take.

Speaking today, Tánaiste Simon Harris said that Ireland will also be requesting that “clear, concrete action against Israel” to end its “genocidal activity” in Gaza. He told RTÉ Radio One that “words of condemnation are not enough”.

The Israeli military is currently preparing to invade Gaza City, the most populous region of the Strip, where the UN has officially declared a man-made famine. Militant group Hamas has accepted a draft ceasefire agreement, but Israel has yet to comment on it.

A meeting took place on the future of the region, and the conflict, at the White House, hosted by US President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, European foreign ministers are set to meet in Denmark on Saturday for an informal meeting.

Referencing Ireland and Spain’s leadership in calling for sanctions, Harris said: “It’s been a lonely place in the European Union. It’s been Ireland, Spain and a handful of other countries calling for concrete actions for a sustained period of time.”

Despite growing pressure on the EU’s executive to take action against Israel, Commissioners cannot do so until there is a consensus among European leaders and ministers. Countries Germany, Austria, Hungary and Italy have blocked such measures.

Harris said while Kallas has done a good job to apply pressure on Israel, her words have not been followed up with actions. He said Europe “cannot ignore the fact that there are now children in so much pain and famine and hunger in Gaza that they can’t even cry”.

He added: “We cannot ignore what international organisations are telling us about famine, and we cannot ignore a genocide. The people of this country feel strongly on this. I will work with the Swedes, the Dutch, with everybody for standing up for our values.”

Secretary General of Amnesty International Agnes Callamard accused the EU last month of “political cowardice” in its continued failure to reach an agreement on suspending trade with Israel.

He said that continued inaction “sends an extremely dangerous message to perpetrators of atrocity crimes that they will not go unpublished, but be rewarded”.

- With reporting by AFP