Europe moves for trade sanctions against Israel

The European Parliament adopted a strongly worded resolution Wednesday calling for the suspension of trade relations with Israel to protest its military offensive against the Palestinians. While the resolution is non-binding, it will add pressure on European governments to consider their relations with Israel.

By a vote of 269 to 208, with 22 abstentions, the Strasbourg-based parliament representing the European Union called on the bloc to "suspend immediately" its trade and cooperation agreement with Israel.

The resolution called for an arms embargo against "Israel and Palestine" and condemned suicide bombings. But its strongest words were reserved for Israel, as it condemned the "military escalation pursued by the Sharon government" and the "oppression of the Palestinian civilian population by the Israeli army."