LUXEMBOURG CITY: Spain, Slovenia and Ireland on Tuesday called on the European Union to hold a discussion on suspending its association agreement with Israel, citing worsening conditions in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon, Al Jazeera reported.
According to Al Jazeera, speaking ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said the three countries had formally requested that the matter be placed on the agenda.
“Spain, along with Slovenia and Ireland, has requested that the suspension of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Israel be discussed and debated today,” Albares said, as quoted by Al Jazeera. “I expect every European country to uphold what the International Court of Justice and the UN say on human rights and the defence of international law. Anything different would be a defeat for the European Union,” he added.
In a joint letter sent last week to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, the three governments alleged that Israel had undertaken actions that “contravene human rights and violate international law and international humanitarian law,” stating that these steps breach the 1995 EU-Israel Association Agreement governing political, economic and trade ties.
The letter noted that repeated appeals to Israel had not yielded results. It also raised concerns over a proposed Israeli law to impose the death penalty by hanging on Palestinians convicted in military courts, calling it “a grave violation of fundamental human rights” and part of “the systematic persecution, oppression, violence and discrimination” faced by Palestinians, Al Jazeera reported. The three countries further highlighted the humanitarian situation in Gaza, describing conditions as “unbearable” and pointing to continued ceasefire violations and inadequate humanitarian aid. They also flagged escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, alleging that settlers were acting “with absolute impunity” alongside ongoing Israeli military operations.
“The European Union can no longer remain on the sidelines,” the ministers wrote, urging “bold and immediate action” and stating that all options should remain open. They argued that Israel is in breach of Article 2 of the agreement, which links bilateral ties to respect for human rights. Referring to an earlier EU assessment, they said Israel had “likely” failed to meet these obligations, with the situation deteriorating further since then, as reported by Al Jazeera. (ANI)
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