Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “problem in himself” and said Denmark would work to increase pressure on Israel over the ongoing war in Gaza . Denmark currently holds the rotating EU presidency.
"Netanyahu is now a problem in himself," Frederiksen told Danish daily Jyllands-Posten, as reported by AFP. She accused the Israeli government of going “too far” and criticised the “absolutely appalling and catastrophic” humanitarian crisis in Gaza , as well as new settlement projects in the occupied West Bank.
Frederiksen, a centre-right leader, said Denmark supports applying greater pressure on Israel within the European Union but has yet to secure the backing of other member states.
She said Copenhagen is open to political pressure and sanctions, including targeting “settlers, ministers, or even Israel as a whole,” such as through trade or research restrictions.
“We are not ruling anything out in advance. Just as with Russia, we are designing the sanctions to target where we believe they will have the greatest effect,” she added, as quoted by AFP.
Denmark has not joined EU countries that have officially recognised Palestinian statehood.
The war in Gaza began with Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official data. In response, Israel launched a military offensive that has killed over 61,430 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to figures from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, which the UN considers credible.
"Netanyahu is now a problem in himself," Frederiksen told Danish daily Jyllands-Posten, as reported by AFP. She accused the Israeli government of going “too far” and criticised the “absolutely appalling and catastrophic” humanitarian crisis in Gaza , as well as new settlement projects in the occupied West Bank.
Frederiksen, a centre-right leader, said Denmark supports applying greater pressure on Israel within the European Union but has yet to secure the backing of other member states.
She said Copenhagen is open to political pressure and sanctions, including targeting “settlers, ministers, or even Israel as a whole,” such as through trade or research restrictions.
“We are not ruling anything out in advance. Just as with Russia, we are designing the sanctions to target where we believe they will have the greatest effect,” she added, as quoted by AFP.
Denmark has not joined EU countries that have officially recognised Palestinian statehood.
The war in Gaza began with Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official data. In response, Israel launched a military offensive that has killed over 61,430 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to figures from Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, which the UN considers credible.
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