EU Initiates Review of Trade Relations with Israel Amid Gaza Crisis
Proposal to reassess the EU-Israel Association Agreement gains traction among member states in response to the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
A significant majority of European Union foreign ministers convened on Tuesday to express support for initiating a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, a diplomatic effort aimed at increasing pressure on Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza, which has raised serious humanitarian concerns.
The initiative was led by the Netherlands, a nation traditionally aligned with Israel, and marks a notable shift in the EU's stance towards its relations with Israel.
The EU-Israel Association Agreement has been in effect since 2000, establishing a framework for political dialogue and economic collaboration between the two entities.
However, increasing criticism of the blockade in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza has called this agreement into question.
Kaja Kallas, the EU's chief diplomat, affirmed that the revelation of a strong majority of member states supporting the review indicates a widespread recognition of the untenable situation in Gaza.
The objective is to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery to affected populations in the region.
Seventeen EU member states have pledged support for the review, including Belgium, Finland, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
Additional backing has come from Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Malta, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.
Several member states opposed the review, whilst Latvia abstained.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldencamp previously reached out to his counterparts advocating for the review, contending that Israel's protracted blockade of aid to Gaza represents a violation of international humanitarian law.
The timeline for the review remains unspecified, and it will be conducted by the EU’s foreign service, the European External Action Service.
Should the review conclude that Israel has contravened Article 2 of the agreement—which stipulates that relations must be predicated on respect for human rights and democratic principles—there exists a potential for the agreement to be suspended.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot remarked that should a violation be substantiated, eventual suspension of the agreement could be considered.
Enacting a suspension would necessitate the endorsement of the European Commission and requires unanimous consent from all 27 member states.
Previous requests for a full suspension of the agreement by Spain and Ireland were hindered by significant divisions within the EU regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, particularly from strong allies of Israel, like Germany and Hungary.
Parallel to the review initiative, Sweden has signaled its intention to propose sanctions targeting individual Israeli officials who endorse government actions detrimental to Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
A proposal for additional sanctions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank did not achieve the necessary unanimous support and was vetoed by Hungary.
Meanwhile, the EU is considering modifying its broader sanctions regime against Syria, as indicated by discussions about lifting sanctions to aid reconstruction efforts.
EU officials have scrutinized the performance of its sanctions in recent years, observing that the existing measures have provided only limited relief in a post-conflict recovery context.
The EU has maintained sanctions against the Assad regime since the civil war's outbreak in 2011, primarily targeting aspects connected to human rights violations.
The initiative was led by the Netherlands, a nation traditionally aligned with Israel, and marks a notable shift in the EU's stance towards its relations with Israel.
The EU-Israel Association Agreement has been in effect since 2000, establishing a framework for political dialogue and economic collaboration between the two entities.
However, increasing criticism of the blockade in light of the ongoing conflict in Gaza has called this agreement into question.
Kaja Kallas, the EU's chief diplomat, affirmed that the revelation of a strong majority of member states supporting the review indicates a widespread recognition of the untenable situation in Gaza.
The objective is to facilitate humanitarian aid delivery to affected populations in the region.
Seventeen EU member states have pledged support for the review, including Belgium, Finland, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
Additional backing has come from Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Malta, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.
Several member states opposed the review, whilst Latvia abstained.
Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldencamp previously reached out to his counterparts advocating for the review, contending that Israel's protracted blockade of aid to Gaza represents a violation of international humanitarian law.
The timeline for the review remains unspecified, and it will be conducted by the EU’s foreign service, the European External Action Service.
Should the review conclude that Israel has contravened Article 2 of the agreement—which stipulates that relations must be predicated on respect for human rights and democratic principles—there exists a potential for the agreement to be suspended.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot remarked that should a violation be substantiated, eventual suspension of the agreement could be considered.
Enacting a suspension would necessitate the endorsement of the European Commission and requires unanimous consent from all 27 member states.
Previous requests for a full suspension of the agreement by Spain and Ireland were hindered by significant divisions within the EU regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict, particularly from strong allies of Israel, like Germany and Hungary.
Parallel to the review initiative, Sweden has signaled its intention to propose sanctions targeting individual Israeli officials who endorse government actions detrimental to Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
A proposal for additional sanctions against Israeli settlers in the West Bank did not achieve the necessary unanimous support and was vetoed by Hungary.
Meanwhile, the EU is considering modifying its broader sanctions regime against Syria, as indicated by discussions about lifting sanctions to aid reconstruction efforts.
EU officials have scrutinized the performance of its sanctions in recent years, observing that the existing measures have provided only limited relief in a post-conflict recovery context.
The EU has maintained sanctions against the Assad regime since the civil war's outbreak in 2011, primarily targeting aspects connected to human rights violations.
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