In a recent development, Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister has voiced strong criticism against the European Union, accusing it of veiling traditional antisemitism under the guise of anti-Zionism. This comes in response to the EU’s decision to impose sanctions on several Israeli civil society groups that oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Speaking to News Agency, Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel highlighted what she perceives as a troubling shift. “We’ve observed a concerning trend where age-old antisemitism has donned a new, socially acceptable guise: anti-Zionism,” she stated. “Where once the individual Jew was the target, now it’s the collective Jewish state and our inherent right to reside in our ancestral homeland. The political targeting of Israel inevitably spills over into an attack on Jewish life itself,” Haskel asserted.
The European Union’s sanctions targeted four Israeli civil society organizations and three senior figures within these groups, citing their alleged support for “settler violence” and criticism that they jeopardize the prospects of a Palestinian state. One of the affected organizations, Regavim, has condemned the sanctions as an infringement on Israeli sovereignty.
Naomi Kahn, Director of International Division at Regavim, defended the group’s activities, describing them as strictly legal and legislative. “We engage in collecting and analyzing information and policies, then present our findings in court and the legislature to address areas where Israel’s policy may be flawed,” Kahn explained to News Agency.
