GERMANY and Italy have blocked a joint proposal by Spain, Ireland and Slovenia to end the EU’s trade agreement with Israel.
The rebuttal followed a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday, with German and Italian officials citing a lack of ‘political conditions’ and advocating instead ‘constructive dialogue’ with Israel.
The EU-Israel Association Agreement, which has been in force since 2000, lays down rules for tariff-free trade and research collaboration between Europe and Tel Aviv. Critics, however, have accused Israel of breaching one of the agreement’s essential requirements by violating human rights in Lebanon, Palestine and the West Bank.
Spanish foreign minister Jose Manuel Albares said before the meeting on Tuesday: “Today Europe is playing for its credibility.
“We have to tell Israel clearly that it has to change course,” he added.
The remarks were echoed by Irish foreign minister Helen McEntee, who decried Israel’s conduct as “completely unacceptable.”
Spain, Ireland and Slovenia last week sent a joint letter to the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the Association Agreement.
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez then announced on Sunday that a joint proposal to end the agreement would be submitted to the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Tuesday.
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“A government that breaches international law, and as such breaches the EU’s principles and values, cannot be a partner of the EU. It is that simple,” Sanchez said.
But EU ministers, with German and Italian officials reportedly playing a key role in the debate, declined to terminate the treaty – and the agreement can only be rescinded if all EU ministers agree.
“There are neither the numerical nor the political conditions,” Italy’s foreign minister Antonio Tajani said before the meeting.
The sentiment was echoed by German foreign minister Johann Wadephul, who said ending the agreement would be ‘inappropriate’ and insisted the way forward was ‘dialogue.’
Supporters of the move, however, retorted that the bloc could no longer remain ‘on the sidelines’ as violence continues to escalate in the Middle East.
Calls to end the agreement followed a slew of incidents across the region, including the approval of a controversial law in Israel that instituted the death penalty solely against Palestinians.
UN experts slammed Tel Aviv over the new law, branding it a ‘grave escalation in Israel’s discriminatory oppression of Palestinians.’
“A death penalty regime that is discriminatory in purpose, design or effect is incompatible with the rights to life and equality before the law,” they warned.
Critics of the Association Agreement also cited the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, mass displacement in Lebanon, and settler violence in the West Bank.
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