Israel/OPT: Israel in breach of EU trade deal over Gaza human rights, European External Action Service report signals
"Israel in breach of EU deal over Gaza human rights, report signals"
EU leaders will now have to decide whether there is sufficient support to take action.
Israel’s actions in Gaza may have violated the terms of the country’s agreement with the EU, the bloc’s diplomatic corps found.
“On the basis of the assessments made by the independent international institutions … there are indications that Israel would be in breach of its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement,” the European External Action Service (EEAS) concluded, according to a leaked document seen by POLITICO.
The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, was asked to lead a review after more than a dozen countries requested the European Commission look into the potential political and legal ramifications of the conflict.
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. [...]
The EEAS’ assessment of the humanitarian situation also criticizes mass casualty events in Gaza, citing an “unprecedented level of killing and injury of civilians,” as well as attacks on hospitals and the displacement of an estimated 90 percent of the population of the territory. [...]
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.
While it has condemned the widespread death and destruction in Gaza, the EU has not taken concrete action against Israel. [...]
In addition to the EEAS assessment, a groundswell of EU nations has been pushing for action on trade against Israel — although this would have a narrower focus on Israeli settler communities.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot announced that Belgium, along with eight other EU countries, submitted a request to the Commission on Thursday to examine how trade from illegal settlements “can be brought in line with international law.”
Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden also backed the call. [...]