Skip next section Denmark’s Rasmussen urges ‘action’ over Israel research funding
08/30/2025August 30, 2025
Denmark’s Rasmussen urges ‘action’ over Israel research funding
Foreign Minister Rasmussen, who is hosting the talks in Copenhagen, called on his EU counterparts to back limited sanctions on , saying it was time to “change words into action”
Rasmussen said he was frustrated at a lack of EU action to pressure Israel over its handling of the humanitarian situation in .
“We consider Israel a friend, and the Israeli people a friend. But we have an issue with the current government,” the minister said, adding that Denmark was ready to curb trade with Israel, impose a ban on products from settlements or put sanctions on Israeli ministers.
Rasmussen said the world was “witnessing the most catastrophic humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza and again urged Israel to change course.
https://p.dw.com/p/4zjjF
Skip next section Germany not ready to approve Israel sanctions, says Wadephul
08/30/2025August 30, 2025
Germany not ready to approve Israel sanctions, says Wadephul
will not back sanctions on for the time being, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said going into talks with his EU counterparts in .
Wadephul said the German government is not convinced by a proposal to for Israeli companies.
The measure was proposed after an internal EU review concluded that Israel’s actions in violate an EU-Israel agreement that obliges both sides to respect .
Wadephul emphasized that Germany is instead restricting weapons deliveries to Israel, which he said was a more effective approach.
“I believe this [arms exports curbs] is a very targeted measure that is very important and very necessary,” he said.
https://p.dw.com/p/4zjhG
Skip next section Kallas: EU ministers ‘divided’ over funding cuts to Israeli startups
08/30/2025August 30, 2025
Kallas: EU ministers ‘divided’ over funding cuts to Israeli startups
The top diplomat Kaja Kallas said she was “not optimistic” that the bloc would agree on limited sanctions on over its handling of the humanitarian crisis in .
“I’m not very optimistic, and today we are definitely not going to adopt decisions,” Kallas told journalists at the start of talks in Copenhagen to decide whether to cut EU research funding to Israeli firms.
She said the lack of agreement “sends a signal that we are divided.”
EU states remain split on stepping up pressure on Israel, which has been accused of allowing a famine to take hold in the following nearly two years of conflict.
Spain, Ireland, Slovenia and Sweden support EU sanctions on Israel, while , Hungary and the Czech Republic oppose them.
https://p.dw.com/p/4zjfw
Skip next section EU ministers, UN decry US visa ban on Abbas
08/30/2025August 30, 2025
EU ministers, UN decry US visa ban on Abbas
Several European foreign ministers arriving at a meeting in Copenhagen criticized Washington’s decision to block US visa.
The move prevents the Palestinian president from attending next month’s General Assembly and a separate event where several countries are due to formally recognize Palestinian statehood.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, whose government pledged to recognize a Palestinian state at the General Assembly, told reporters that the assembly “cannot be subject to any restrictions on access.”
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said the US move was “unacceptable,” while Irish Foreign Minister Simon Harris said the EU should protest the decision “in the strongest possible terms.” Both Spain and Ireland officially recognized Palestinian statehood in 2024.
Meanwhile, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said the UN would discuss the visa issue with the US State Department.
In 1988, the US refused to issue a visa to PLO leader Yasser Arafat, forcing the UN General Assembly to be moved from New York to Geneva so he could address it.
https://p.dw.com/p/4zjmu
Skip next section US effectively bars Palestinian leader Abbas from attending UN General Assembly
08/30/2025August 30, 2025
US effectively bars Palestinian leader Abbas from attending UN General Assembly
The said it would not allow Palestinian President to travel to New York next month for a gathering, where several US allies are set to recognize Palestinian .
A State Department official said Abbas and about 80 other Palestinians would be affected by the decision to deny and revoke visas from members of the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization and the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority.
Abbas had planned to attend the annual high-level UN General Assembly, followed by a summit where France, Australia and Canada have pledged to . The United Kingdom also vowed to recognize Palestinian statehood if Israel does not meet certain conditions by the General Assembly meeting.
Abbas’s office said it was astonished by the decision and said it violated the UN “headquarters agreement,” a 1947 accord that requires the US to allow access for foreign diplomats to the UN in New York.
The Trump administration, however, has said it can deny visas for security, extremism and foreign policy reasons.
The State Department said the PA and PLO had failed to renounce extremism while pushing for “unilateral recognition” of a Palestinian state.
https://p.dw.com/p/4zjma
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage08/30/2025August 30, 2025
Welcome to our coverage
There’s been fierce criticism over a US visa ban on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The US announced Friday would reject or revoke visas for 80 Palestinian officials due to their refusal to reject extremism.
In Denmark, foreign ministers are meeting to decide whether to impose limited sanctions on over the humanitarian crisis in .
Despite calls growing louder for firmer action from EU states to pressure Israel, the ministers are not likely to pass the proposal, which would see EU research funding for Israeli startups dry up.
DW will bring you the latest from the talks as well as videos and analysis on the conflict and the wider Middle East region.
https://p.dw.com/p/4zjay
The post Middle East: US faces backlash over Abbas visa ban appeared first on Deutsche Welle.
