In the first week of April, there have been two important developments related to the sanctions on Israel. Turkey has imposed sanctions on Israel, including trade restrictions on a range of products such as steel, fertilizers, and jet fuel. France has suggested that the European Union could use sanctions as leverage to pressure Israel into allowing more humanitarian aid into Gaza.
President Biden’s pressure on Israel after last week’s deadly attack on aid workers did not go far enough and will fail to stem the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. According to a BBC report, the US politicians are not happy with this pressure.
Arms to Israel
Canada, the Netherlands, Japan, Spain and Belgium have all announced they would stop shipping weapons to Israel. Israel has received the most financial support from the United States of any foreign country since World War II, totalling $158 billion by 2023 when adjusted for inflation. This aid is in addition to the selling of the Arms to Israel.
In recent times, the international community has witnessed escalating tensions and conflict in the Gaza Strip, leading to significant civilian casualties and destruction of property. The actions taken by Israel in response to attacks from Hamas have raised serious humanitarian concerns and allegations of breaches of international law, prompting discussions about the imposition of sanctions by various countries, including Turkey and France.
Humanitarian Grounds for Sanctions
Humanitarian grounds for sanctions are typically based on the principles of international humanitarian law, which seeks to protect individuals and civilian populations during times of war and armed conflict. The current situation in Gaza has led to a humanitarian crisis, with reports of shortages in essential supplies, including food, water, and medical aid. The imposition of sanctions is seen as a means to pressure Israel to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza and to cease actions that are deemed to be causing undue suffering to the civilian population.