The Spanish government has called for the European Union to suspend its free trade deal with Israel over its conduct during the war in Gaza and to sanction figures undermining a two-state solution involving Israel and Palestine.
EU foreign ministers met in Brussels on Monday to discuss possible actions the bloc could take against Israel, to put pressure on Binyamin Netanyahu’s government to address the dire humanitarian crisis it has created in Gaza.
A review ordered by EU states found Israel’s actions during its invasion of Gaza had breached its obligations to respect human rights, made in an “association agreement” Israel signed with the EU. The agreement governs relations between the two sides and includes a free trade deal.
Speaking on Monday, Spain’s foreign minister José Manuel Albares said the EU-Israel deal should be suspended.
The EU also needed to put an embargo on future weapon sales to Israel, and sanction individuals sabotaging the prospect of a two-state solution, he said.
More than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel’s 20-month invasion of Gaza, prompting growing calls for the EU to use what leverage it has to try to restrain Israel. The conflict ignited when 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7th, 2023, according to Israeli authorities
Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris said Ireland supported calls to suspend the EU-Israel deal, but said there was a lack of necessary consensus within the EU for such a move.
The EU’s response to what was happening in Gaza had been much too slow and “far too many people have been left to die as genocide has been carried out,” Mr Harris said.
[ EU may be finally approaching ‘point of departure’ on Gaza warOpens in new window ]
The credibility of the 27-state bloc was on the line, to make clear that human rights clauses in deals the EU signed with other countries were not seen as “discretionary”, he said.
Domestically Mr Harris said a draft of legislation to ban trade coming from Israeli settlements in illegally occupied Palestinian territories would be brought to Cabinet on Tuesday.
The Occupied Territories Bill would propose banning the trade of goods, but Mr Harris said he remained “open” to the legislation being expanded to ban the trade of services too. “We need to have legal clarity as to whether that’s possible or not, I’ve asked the Attorney General in relation to that,” he said.
The recent EU review noted international agencies had documented Israel bombing hospitals and destroying vital civilian infrastructure, as well as leaving people in the Palestinian enclave facing starvation by blocking the entry of aid into Gaza.
Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp said his government was not ruling out support for any action against Israel. There needed to be a fresh ceasefire in the fighting and an easing of Israel’s chokehold on the flow of aid into Gaza, he said.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign affairs chief who chairs the meetings, said there was “broad consensus” in the room to “change the situation on the ground” and make sure more humanitarian aid reached civilians in Gaza.
Speaking at a press conference afterwards, Ms Kallas said she would put the findings of the EU review to the Israeli government.
“If the situation does not improve, then we can discuss further measures and come back to this in July,” she said. Foreign ministers are due to meet again on July 15th.
A proposal to restrict trade between EU states and “violent settlers” in occupied Palestinian territories was one option on the table, she said. The idea was not to “punish” Israel, but pressure it to change course, she said.
