The EU-Israel Association Agreement establishes close relations between the bloc and the Middle Eastern nation, governing cooperation in key industries and bilateral trade. While tearing up the pact entirely would require unanimous support from all 27 EU member countries, four officials confirmed to POLITICO that interim measures, such as paring back trade ties, are being considered and could be passed by a qualified majority of countries.
“In response to the terrorist attacks of 7 October 2023, Israel launched an intense military campaign, involving the use of weapons with wide are effects in densely-populated areas, and severe restrictions on the entry and distribution of essential goods and services into Gaza,” the eight-page document reads.
“In the context of Israel and the [Occupied Palestinian Territory], observers have deployed a persistent lack of accountability on all sides,” the document says. “This ongoing lack of accountability measures for serious allegations of international law violations has raised serious doubts about Israeli authorities’ willingness and ability to conduct genuine investigations, as required by international law.”
Kallas told lawmakers in the European Parliament on Wednesday that “Israel has the right to self-defense, but what we see in practice from Israel goes beyond self-defense,” adding that Israel is “undermining decades of humanitarian principles” by blocking food and medicine for Palestinians in Gaza, along with sidestepping U.N. aid.
Speaking earlier this month ahead of the publication, European Council President António Costa suggested he expected the EEAS review would find Israel to be violating its commitments.
“Watching your televisions and reading your newspapers, I think it’s not difficult to anticipate what is the conclusion that they obtain,” he said.
