The EU's 27 member countries are expected to study a proposal to impose sanctions against two far-right Israeli ministers at a meeting later this month, after Sweden's foreign affairs minister wrote a letter to the bloc's foreign policy chief calling for action.
The letter was sent to Kaja Kallas as the UK, Canada and other western nations introduced an asset freeze and a travel ban against Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for inciting violence against Palestinians.
In the letter, Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Stenergard, who did not refer to the two by name, said that the European Council should "urgently decide on targeted sanctions against Israeli ministers who promote illegal settlements activities and actively work against a negotiated two-state solution."
The letter, dated June 10, was made public on Thursday as Ms Stenergard held a media briefing in Stockholm in which she described Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, and restriction of aid distribution inside the enclave, as a war crime.
"There are strong indications right now that Israel is not living up to its commitments under international humanitarian law," she said. "It is crucial that food, water and medicine swiftly reach the civilian population, many of whom are women and children living under wholly inhumane conditions."
At the media briefing, Ms Stenergard highlighted the shifting mood within Europe, which has become increasingly critical of Israel's 19-month military operation in Gaza that has been compounded by settler violence in the occupied West Bank.
Most EU countries last month backed a Dutch call to review the EU-Israel Association Agreement over concerns that Israel may have breached its human rights obligations. Ms Kallas's office is currently conducting the review, which may result in a partial or total suspension of trade relations.
Sweden, like many EU countries, does not have a national sanctions regime and only issues sanctions through the bloc in a process that requires a unanimous decision by its 27 member states.
Yet unanimous support of sanctions against Mr Ben Gvir and Mr Smotrich is unlikely. Some EU countries remain firmly in support of Israel, including Germany, Italy, Greece and Hungary. The latter has blocked numerous proposed EU sanctions against extremist Israeli settlers for months.
An EU Commission representative on Thursday said that Ms Kallas had received Sweden's letter but declined to comment on its content.
No EU country joined the UK, Canada, Australia, Norway and New Zealand in sanctioning Mr Ben Gvir and Mr Smotrich earlier this week, despite expectations that France would follow suit. Paris last month co-signed a statement with the UK and Canada threatening sanctions over the Gaza war.
The French Foreign Affairs Ministry has "taken note" of Sweden's letter, a representative said on Thursday, adding that France believed that it was best to discuss sanctions with other EU countries and not take action at a national level.
France has imposed sanctions against Israelis in the past without the EU. In February, Paris announced measures against 28 extremist Israeli settlers, including travel bans and asset freezes, after a similar announcement by the UK.
The French representative said the Swedish letter would "obviously be discussed" at the next meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers in Brussels on June 23.
"We have not hesitated in condemning the remarks of the two ministers," the representative said.
"But it seems to us that, in terms of reaction to Israel and what's happening in the Gaza Strip, the European dimension is important."
Critics have said that such sanctions have been ineffective in influencing decisions taken by the Israeli government and military, particularly in Gaza.
"A majority of Israelis, as public opinion polls indicate, support the slaughter and are even waiting for the population transfer that is to come in its wake," wrote columnist Gideon Levy in an op-ed published by Israeli daily Haaretz on Wednesday.
"Therefore, the pressure and the punishment must be directed at Israel in its entirety."
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The Equaliser 2
Director Antoine Fuqua
Starring: Denzel Washington, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Ashton Sanders
Three stars
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
What is graphene?
Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged like honeycomb.
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were "playing about" with sticky tape and graphite - the material used as "lead" in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But as they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment had led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
At the time, many believed it was impossible for such thin crystalline materials to be stable. But examined under a microscope, the material remained stable, and when tested was found to have incredible properties.
It is many times times stronger than steel, yet incredibly lightweight and flexible. It is electrically and thermally conductive but also transparent. The world's first 2D material, it is one million times thinner than the diameter of a single human hair.
But the 'sticky tape' method would not work on an industrial scale. Since then, scientists have been working on manufacturing graphene, to make use of its incredible properties.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Their discovery meant physicists could study a new class of two-dimensional materials with unique properties.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg
Roma 4
Milner (15' OG), Dzeko (52'), Nainggolan (86', 90 4')
Liverpool 2
Mane (9'), Wijnaldum (25')
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
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