Israel won’t face EU penalties over Gaza suffering — yet – POLITICO

European Union countries are moving toward agreeing a plan to punish Israel over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza but stopped short of triggering the penalty at a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.

The European Commission has proposed partially suspending Israel’s association agreement with the EU, to curtail the country’s access to a key research and development program for start-ups. The plan comes in response to a Commission review that found Israel was in breach of its human-rights obligations under the terms of the deal.

EU countries’ ambassadors discussed the Commission’s proposal at a meeting Tuesday but there was no qualified majority in favor of pressing ahead with it now, according to three diplomats speaking to POLITICO on condition of anonymity because the matter is sensitive.