EU sanctions could soon broaden beyond activists, Israeli commentator warns

In an opinion article, Meir Deutsch, CEO of the Israeli NGO Regavim, says Canada’s announcement that it is imposing sanctions on Israel did not surprise him because, in his view, Israel has been in Europe’s crosshairs for years. He points to Regavim’s petition that led to the demolition of an illegal Palestinian Authority school in the Herodian nature reserve in the Judean Desert as an earlier flashpoint with European actors.

Deutsch says the Israeli government was caught unprepared and did not stand up in advance for organizations like Regavim, which he describes as using lawful tools in a legitimate campaign. He adds that during the Biden administration, significant moves led by right-wing ministers began under a previous wave of US sanctions, but those efforts stopped when the administration changed. Now, he argues, the current wave has again caught Israel unready.

He warns that sanctions are not just symbolic. According to him, they can restrict credit card use and limit business with individuals and companies connected to Europe. He says this forces Regavim to spend months with lawyers and international advisers preparing an appeal in Luxembourg and a counter-petition to clear its name, rather than continuing its public and political campaign.

Deutsch compares the process to Martin Niemöller’s warning about Nazi persecution, saying it starts with an obscure farmer allegedly involved in violence, then moves to civil society groups like Regavim, and could soon reach judges whose rulings conflict with the European Union’s agenda. He argues that when democratic and friendly states intervene this way, it reflects deep distrust in Israel’s legal and enforcement systems. He concludes that people who stay silent because they are not settlers or not Regavim may be next.