Latest news with #EU-IsraelAssociationAgreement
Days of Palestine
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
EU Condemns Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza, Urges Immediate Entry of Aid
DaysofPal-At the conclusion of their summit held in Brussels, European Union leaders issued a strongly worded statement denouncing the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. The statement warned of an imminent famine threatening millions of civilians and called for an immediate and full lifting of the Israeli blockade. The EU declared its 'deep concern over the severe deterioration of humanitarian conditions in Gaza,' highlighting the growing risk of famine and the mounting civilian death toll, including women and children. The European leaders urged an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza as a first step to halt the bloodshed. They emphasized that ongoing military operations were exacerbating civilian suffering and posed a grave violation of international humanitarian law. The statement warned that Gaza was 'on the brink of famine,' noting that more than 2.2 million Palestinians are living under conditions of 'acute food insecurity' due to severe restrictions on the entry of essential goods and humanitarian aid. 'Each day of delay in delivering food, water, and medicine deepens the crisis and threatens a total collapse of humanitarian infrastructure in the Strip,' the leaders said. The EU called on the Israeli occupation to lift the blockade immediately and completely, allowing humanitarian aid through all land and sea crossings, and granting UN agencies and humanitarian organizations free and safe access to carry out their work. The statement also noted that alternative attempts by some countries to deliver aid—such as maritime routes or airdrops—have been inadequate and, in some cases, resulted in civilian casualties due to technical failures and poor coordination. In a rare diplomatic move, EU leaders revealed they had discussed the possibility of suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement, citing Article 2, which requires both parties to respect human rights as a core condition of the agreement. The European Council announced it would conduct a formal review in July 2025 to assess Israel's compliance with these principles, potentially paving the way for economic or diplomatic measures. The EU also condemned the targeting of civilians, hospitals, schools, and UN facilities in Gaza, stating that the use of excessive force in civilian areas constitutes a clear violation of international law. The statement stressed that using food as a tool of political pressure against a besieged civilian population is a war crime, and called for independent international investigations to hold perpetrators accountable. This statement comes amid growing global criticism of Israeli policies in Gaza, with increasing accusations of using starvation as a weapon of war and a means of forced displacement—acts described in UN reports as amounting to genocide. The EU's bold stance is expected to draw sharp reactions from the Israeli occupation, especially as the bloc considers taking tangible economic and diplomatic actions in the coming weeks. Shortlink for this post:
Irish Examiner
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Michael D Higgins: EU must go further to stop Israel's war on Gaza
European countries must 'go further' to prevent Israel from continuing its war in Gaza, President Michael D Higgins has said. Mr Higgins has said there is a 'clear' finding that Israel has breached the terms of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, as he criticised the use of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation by the Israeli authorities. The President said: The time has now come to go further. The finding that Israel is in breach of the human rights obligations of the EU-Israel Association Agreement is clear. 'Now is the time for an immediate call for action and assistance from the international community to ensure that no more time is lost, that there is no further loss of life as people exercise the impossible choice between risking their lives to access aid or starving. 'This is a call that I know has become ever stronger on the European Street.' Mr Higgins quoted the head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, who described the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as a 'death trap' and an 'an abomination that humiliates and degrades desperate people'. 'It is imperative in this context that, as called for in a resolution overwhelmingly passed at the United Nations earlier this month, that UNRWA are allowed to resume their work in Gaza as the backbone of the humanitarian response,' he said. 'Calls for countries to alternatively fund an alternative system, one which has been described in the stark terms which I have quoted, amounts to no less than an attempt to undermine the United Nations and its vital work.' The President welcomed comments earlier this week by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who described the EU's response to the crisis in Gaza as a 'stain' on the bloc. He added while attacks in Gaza remain ongoing, people living in the West Bank 'continue to be subjected to killings and attacks by violent members of those living in illegal settlements with the full support of the Israeli military'.
New York Post
21 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
EU leaders call for immediate cease-fire in Gaza
The European Council, composed of the heads of state or of government of the 27 E.U. member states, the president of the European Council and the president of the European Commission, called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza on Thursday. The council, meeting in Brussels, called for a 'cease-fire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages, leading to a permanent end to hostilities,' it said in its conclusions issued at an E.U. summit meeting in Brussels where developments in the Middle East were discussed. The council said it 'deplores the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the unacceptable number of civilian casualties and the levels of starvation. The European Council calls on Israel to fully lift its blockade on Gaza, to allow immediate, unimpeded access and sustained distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale into and throughout Gaza and to enable the U.N. and its agencies, and humanitarian organizations, to work independently and impartially to save lives and reduce suffering,' the conclusions read. 6 The European Council met in Brussels and called for a 'cease-fire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages.' dts News Agency Germany/Shutterstock 6 European Council President Antonio Costa (L), Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk (C) and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the end of a press conference after working sessions at the European Council. AFP via Getty Images The text continued: 'Israel must fully comply with its obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. The European Council recalls the imperative of ensuring the protection of all civilians, including humanitarian workers, at all times, as well as of civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, schools and U.N. premises.' The European Council also deplored 'the refusal of Hamas to hand over the remaining hostages.' The E.U. leaders took note of the review report prepared by the E.U.'s External Service on Israel's compliance with Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and invited the E.U.'s foreign ministers to continue discussions on a follow-up, as appropriate, in July, taking into account the evolution of the situation on the ground. 6 According to conclusions issued at an E.U. summit, the council said it 'deplores the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the unacceptable number of civilian casualties and the levels of starvation.' AFP via Getty Images 6 Palestinians searching through the rubble of heavily damaged and collapsed buildings after Israeli attacks on Al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. The review report concluded that there were 'indications' that Israel was in breach of its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the Association Agreement with its actions in Gaza. The Association Agreement At a meeting of the E.U. foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, E.U. foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced that she would address the report results with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. The E.U. foreign ministers will discuss the topic again in July to see if they decide to take measures against Israel. 'Our first goal is to change the situation on the ground [in Gaza] and help the humanitarian aid get in and help the people. So today was the beginning of the debate and not the end,' Kallas told reporters after the ministerial meeting. 6 Internally displaced Palestinians gather in a charity kitchen to receive limited rations amid a food shortage in Nuseirat Palestinian refugee camp. 'If the situation does not improve, then we can also discuss further measures and come back to this at the next Foreign Affairs Council in July,' she said. The review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement was decided in May after a majority of E.U. member states supported a proposal of Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp. In a letter to Kallas, Sa'ar requested to shelve the report prepared by the E.U. on Article 2 of the Association Agreement, writing: 'In the name of fairness, the flaws in the composition of the report should be addressed and it should be completely disregarded.' The report, he continued, 'completely ignores our detailed answers to the questions submitted to us.' 6 People walk away as smoke erupts from a fire following an Israeli strike at the UNRWA's Osama bin Zaid school in the northern Gaza Strip. AFP via Getty Images During the Article 2 review process, the E.U. submitted a series of question to Israel. In its answers to the questions, the Israeli foreign ministry recalled the 'strategic reality Israel is facing: since October 7, Israel has been fighting a war on seven fronts. Iran, with its extremist ideology, is aiming to eliminate the State of Israel. Iran's regime has long pursued the annihilation of the Jewish state through a nuclear program, ballistic missiles, and a network of terrorist proxies like Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. 'This plan erupted violently on October 7, when Hamas massacred 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds, marking the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust,' the ministry added. 'It is against this backdrop—Israel's combat with a host of brutal enemies—that the E.U. was tasked with doing a 'rush job,' compiling a biased and extremely one-sided summary of many anti-Israeli voices and documents into a so-called 'honest report' for the member states of the E.U.''
Euronews
a day ago
- Politics
- Euronews
EU inaction on Israel could erode international order, NGO Avaaz warns
The European Union's lack of action on Israel regarding its actions in Gaza and occupied Palestinian territories could result in a complete erosion of the international order and set a dangerous precedent, a legal expert has warned. "We're seeing the unravelling of the international rules-based order which the EU is founded to uphold and promote," Nick Flynn, head of legal of the global campaign organisation Avaaz, told Euronews, adding that inaction could indicate a lack of leadership "that others will take note of and exploit." It comes as the European Union failed to agree on what to do with a review ordered by the majority of EU countries on the bloc's trade and cooperation deal with Israel over its ongoing offensive in Gaza. The EU is currently Israel's biggest trading partner, with annual trade valued at over €45 billion. Last week, the bloc's diplomatic service found indications that Israel had breached its human rights obligations in Gaza, citing the blockade on humanitarian aid, military strikes against hospitals, the forced displacement of Palestinians, mass arrests and arbitrary detentions. The document also cites the expansion of illegal settlements in the Occupied Territories and violence committed by settlers. Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, a pact that defines trading and diplomatic ties, states that relations between the parties "shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which guides their internal and international policy." However, after gathering at their council summit on Thursday, European countries could only agree "to continue discussions on a follow-up." "Israel is not respecting human rights right now, manifestly so, and the EU should act now," Flynn urged. "It has the power to impose meaningful sanctions on Israel, for example, suspending its preferential trade status under the association agreement." Flynn spoke against the backdrop of a street installation organised by Avaaz in the Belgian capital on Wednesday and Thursday, which included giant portraits of Palestinian children, overlooking hundreds of names, flowers, stuffed animals and other toys. Dozens of people, including families and children, gathered to honour the youth of Gaza. "We're here to bring the voices of Gaza's children into the EU," Flynn said. The installation, called "Look Them in the Eyes", aimed to confront leaders, foreign ministers and heads of state of the ongoing catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza and urge them to take decisive and urgent action. Also present at the installation were several volunteer doctors who recently returned from Gaza, including Dr Graeme Groom, a British-Irish trauma and orthopaedic surgeon. Dr Groom recently operated on 11-year-old Adam, the sole surviving son of Palestinian doctor Alaa al-Najjar, whose nine children and husband were killed in an Israeli air strike in May. Dr Groom, who is an orthopaedic surgeon at King's College Hospital in London and co-chair of the IDEALS Charity, said a third of the patients entering his operating theatre are children and "would all be mangled bodies and mutilated limbs." Thousands of children have lost limbs as a result of Israeli bombardment. In March, the UN humanitarian aid organisation, OCHA, called it the "largest cohort of child amputees in modern history." Another significant threat among children in Gaza is the rise of acute malnutrition, Dr Groom warned. "We heard this morning (Wednesday) that there is no formula left. If it's not supplied urgently, then the death rate amongst newborn babies will be astronomical," he told Euronews. Dr Groom observed that access to medical equipment and funding has been increasingly restricted, with the situation deteriorating significantly after the closure of the Rafah crossing in May 2024 with Egypt and since Israel's humanitarian aid blockade began on 2 March. The British-Irish surgeon reported 47% of essential medication and 65% of consumables are at zero stock. "Our cash allowance was reduced from $2,800 (€2,388) to about $300 (€256). We were allowed one suitcase, which should contain all the food we needed for 28 days, our personal belongings, water for four days, and no equipment. We were threatened with exclusion if we brought any equipment, a pair of scissors, a suture," he said. In terms of equipment, Dr Groom testified to Euronews that Israeli forces deliberately destroyed critical machines when taking over hospitals. "At Al-Amal Hospital, in the radiology department, they cut all the cables of every ultrasound machine, which are used for pregnant women and injured patients." In addition to a severe shortage of aid and medical equipment, Gaza is also facing a critical lack of doctors and medical staff. The doctor said that he and his colleagues had been treating patients every day for more than three consecutive weeks, compared to the usual two or three operating days per week under normal conditions. Despite this dire need, he noticed an increase in denied entry requests by Israel. He said he was refused entry in both February and March, without any explanation. "Out of almost 40 people booked, only 19 were granted access. And amongst those 19, there was only one doctor," he told Euronews. Last month, UNICEF said more than 50,000 children have reportedly been killed or injured in the Gaza Strip since October 2023. "The children of Gaza need protection. They need food, water, and medicine. They need a ceasefire. But more than anything, they need immediate, collective action to stop this once and for all," the statement by the UN children's fund read. Though EU leaders on Thursday decided they could only agree to "continue discussions" regarding the bloc's partnership with Israel, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told Euronews earlier this week there was consensus "to put pressure on Israel," with a focus on improving the situation on the ground and ensuring the necessary humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza.
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Slovaks veto Russia sanctions at EU Council
BRUSSELS — Thursday's EU Council summit suffered a huge setback after Robert Fico, Slovakia's prime minister, announced he would maintain his veto on the next round of sanctions against Russia, which diplomats hoped to approve on Friday. Fico's opposition involves a separate matter: the European Commission's proposed phase-out of Russian fossil fuels, including oil and gas, which Slovakia, as well as Hungary, continues to be dependent on. Fico met with Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday morning to discuss his reservations, including his fear that Gazprom, Russia's gas monopoly, would file a billion-euro lawsuit if his country breaks up its long-term gas contract. The Commission, however, says the proposed bans would act as "force majeure" to avoid damages in court. But Fico did not seem convinced. "Therefore, this issue must be resolved first: let's define the solution, and only then can we discuss further sanctions packages," Fico said in a video message posted on his Facebook account shortly after 18.00 CET. "If our proposal to postpone the vote is not accommodated, the Slovak ambassador will receive a clear instruction to veto the adoption of the 18th sanctions package." Meanwhile, the 27 leaders agreed to disagree on what to do next with the review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which found "indications" that Israel had breached its human rights obligations with its actions in Gaza and the West Bank. The highly anticipated review was requested in May by a group of 17 countries. Thursday's summit was the first time that leaders discussed the findings face-to-face. But sharp divisions in the room, from Spain to Germany, prevented any specific outcome. Instead, leaders asked their foreign ministers to continue the internal process "as appropriate" when they meet in Brussels on 15 July. During that meeting, High Representative Kaja Kallas is expected to present potential follow-up options, even if none of them are likely to gather the necessary qualified majority to move forward. Exasperation is growing: Slovenia's prime minister raised the prospect of forming a coalition of the willing to put "real pressure" on Israel if the bloc failed to act as one. — Euronews
