Latest news with #EUSR
Indian Express
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Europe's dilemma: How long can it kick the can on Israel's human rights violations in Gaza?
The developments in West Asia — particularly the US bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities and the Israel-Iran ceasefire — have delayed the European Union's review process of its Association Agreement (AA) with Israel. The AA provides a framework for political and economic ties between the EU and Israel. Apart from other provisions, it also establishes a free trade area between the two. On June 20, the office of the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for Human Rights submitted a note to the European Council regarding Israel's compliance with the EU-Israel Association Agreement. The note focused on Article 2 of the Agreement, which includes human rights and democratic principles as essential elements. A formal request for a review of Article 2 was made by the Netherlands and supported by 16 other EU member states. Although the Netherlands is a strong supporter of Israel, its move was seen as a response to strong public anger and widespread street protests in the country against Israel's actions in 'restricted' EUSR document was circulated to all member states ahead of the summit meeting but was leaked by some European media outlets. Based on reports concerning the blockade, denial, or limited access to humanitarian aid; the unprecedented killing and injury of civilians; attacks on hospitals and medical facilities; displacement; attacks on journalists; settlement consolidation and expansion in the West Bank; and arbitrary detentions, the note concludes that 'Israel would be in breach' of its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the Agreement. In response to the EU's move to re-examine its Association Agreement on the basis of human rights, Israel labelled the step 'outrageous and indecent'. It stated that at a time when the country is facing an existential threat, the EU's 'review' of its relations with Israel amounts to a 'moral distortion'. In the lead-up to the European Council meeting, some European countries appeared to harden their stances against Israel. Nine EU countries — Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden — called on the EU to develop a plan to halt trade with Israeli settlements. They emphasised the need to ensure that EU policies do not contribute, directly or indirectly, to the perpetuation of an illegal situation. The EU is Israel's largest trading partner, accounting for around 43 billion euro in trade. In 2024, 32 per cent of Israel's total goods trade was with the EU. Although the EU does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories, products from these areas are often labelled as 'Made in Israel,' potentially misleading European consumers. However, at the European Council meeting, the mood was cautious. The shift towards human rights seems to have dissipated amid developments related to Iran. The Council summit was dominated by issues such as European defence, Ukraine, trade issues with the US, as well as sudden developments in the Middle East. It called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages, and urged Israel to fully lift its blockade on Gaza. However, instead of taking concrete action, the meeting merely took note of the EUSR report on Israel's compliance with Article 2 of the Agreement. The Council was invited to continue discussions on possible follow-up measures in July 2025, 'depending on the evolution of the situation on the ground'. In his public statement, European Council President Antonio Costa asserted that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is 'catastrophic and human rights are being violated' and the EUSR review has confirmed it. He added that the situation is unacceptable and the EU foreign ministers will discuss the next steps. Although the EU adopted a cautious approach, some European leaders expressed strong frustration. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez criticised EU leaders for not suspending the trade agreement with Israel, despite what he described as 'the catastrophic genocide'. He asserted that it was 'more than obvious that Israel is violating Article 2 of the EU-Israel Agreement.' He further stated that the EU has imposed 18 sanctions against Russia for its aggression, yet Europe, with its double standards, is incapable of suspending an Association Agreement with Israel. However, reaching a consensus on this issue within the EU will be extremely difficult. While Ireland has also supported a suspension, many others — including Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, and Hungary — remain close allies of Israel. Many of the conflicts in the Middle East are deeply rooted in European history. While the EU has a historic responsibility to play a more proactive role, its effectiveness has been limited by the divergent positions of its member states on Israel and the recognition of the State of Palestine. As a result, it has often been convenient for Europe to allow the US to take the lead in the region. Even during the current Iran-Israel war, when the Iranian Foreign Minister was meeting his counterparts in Europe, President Trump doubted the impact of these talks, saying, 'Iran doesn't want to speak to Europe, Iran wants to speak to us'. Today, numerous EU member states recognise Palestine. However, major powers such as France, Germany, and Italy — while supporting a two-state solution — prefer a negotiated peace settlement over unilateral recognition. Despite the difficulties in reaching a consensus on the issue, the human rights situation in Gaza will remain a serious topic in major EU discussions. The EU cannot ignore taking action indefinitely. As former EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell Fontelles recently wrote: 'If Europe bears responsibility for its victims, it also bears responsibility for the victims of its victims'. The writer is Chief Coordinator, DAKSHIN – Global South Centre of Excellence at RIS, New Delhi, and Professor of European Studies at JNU
Euronews
24-06-2025
- Business
- Euronews
The EU-Israel trade relationship in numbers
An internal review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement last week found "indications" that Israel breached human rights obligations outlined in Article 2 of the agreement over its actions in Gaza, especially with regard to restricting humanitarian assistance. Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas' attacks on its soil on October 7, 2023. The bloc's foreign ministers are set to meet in July to discuss the review's outcome. The Netherlands, together with 16 other EU member states, put in a formal review request with European External Action Service (the diplomatic service of the European Union), citing "Israel's blockade of humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip and the proposed new system for aid distribution as seemingly being incompatible with international humanitarian law and principles." Israel has rejected the EU-Israel Association Agreement (EUSR) review, stating the review "should not be taken seriously or used as a basis for any future actions or conversations". The trade relationship between the two parties, which now finds itself under increased scrutiny, is significant. The European Union is Israel's largest trading partner, accounting for approximately 32% of its total trade of goods in 2024, according to Eurostat. 34.2% of Israel's imports came from the EU for that year, while 28.8% of the country's exports went to the other way. Total trade in goods between the EU and Israel in 2024 amounted to €42.6 billion, with the EU exporting €26.7 billion worth of goods to Israel. The EU's exports to Israel were dominated by machinery and transport equipment at 43%, followed by chemicals at 18% and other manufactured goods at 11.7%. On the other hand, Israel is the EU's 31st largest trading partner, representing almost 0.8% of the EU's total trade in goods in 2024. EU imports from Israel were worth €15.9 billion in the same year. 43.9% of it was machinery and transport equipment, while 18% were chemicals, and 12.1% were other manufactured goods. Israel is the EU's third-biggest trading partner in the Mediterranean, after Morocco and Algeria. Can trade be affected by the EU review's findings? The bloc's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, has stated that the EU will "discuss further measures and come back in July" if Israel doesn't "improve the situation" in Gaza, after reuniting with the EU's 27 foreign affairs ministers on 23 June. However, a complete suspension of the agreement appears out of the question due to a lack of unanimity among member states. Plausible options include the partial suspension of certain provisions related to free trade, research, technology, culture and political dialogue. Some options will require the unanimous support of all 27 member states, while others will require a qualified majority, meaning at least 55% of countries representing at least 65% of the bloc's population. Human-rights defenders have also pushed for the suspension of the EU's trade relations with Israel. 'Member states in favour of suspending the agreement must use all their diplomatic weight to ensure that opponents of the suspension, including Germany, fully understand the risk of complicity and the cruel toll on Palestinian lives of continued EU inaction," Amnesty International stated in an open letter on 23 June. "If the EU fails to live up to these obligations as a bloc, and seeks to shield itself from its clear legal obligations, its member states must unilaterally suspend all forms of cooperation that may contribute to violations of international law.'
Euronews
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Exclusive: Israel blasts EU report claiming Gaza human rights breaches
Israel has blasted the EU-Israel Association Agreement (EUSR) review, saying 'this report and its conclusions should not be taken seriously or used as a basis for any future actions or conversations', in a letter from the country's foreign ministry to the EU seen by Euronews on Sunday. 'Decency would dictate addressing the report's shortcomings and dismissing it in its entirety,' the letter, sent to the Commission and External Action Service, concludes. The EU-Israel Association Agreement review released on Friday said that Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip indicate a breach of the human rights provisions contained in its Association Agreement with the European Union. The issue is set to be considered by foreign ministers meeting on Monday. Citing a collection of findings by independent international organisations, the highly anticipated review from the bloc's diplomatic service said it found "indications" that Israel breached its human rights obligations with actions in Gaza. The breach stems from Israel's offensive on Gaza and the stringent conditions applied to the deliveries of humanitarian aid, which have stoked fears of widespread famine among Palestinians living in the densely populated enclave. In the letter seen by Euronews, the Israeli foreign ministry expressed its 'astonishment' that the report disregarded 'our detailed response to the questions submitted to us'. The letter starts with a presentation of what it calls 'the strategic reality Israel is facing', detailing how it is 'fighting a war on seven fronts.' 'It is against this backdrop – Israel's combat with a host of brutal enemies - that the EUSR 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 EU,' the letter states. The Israeli foreign ministry letter focuses on what it calls 'two failures' of the EUSR report, claiming that it 'fails to take into account the context' and 'crucial facts' the October 7 attacks followed by 'the ongoing attempt by Iran and its proxies to bring about the annihilation of the Jewish state'. 'A report that opens with an admission that it lacks the ability to verify its own statements, or even the mandate to address the numerous terror attacks by Palestinians against Israel, cannot be taken seriously,' the letter says. The letter claims that the EUSR report 'fails morally' by neglecting to address any damage inflicted on Israeli civilians' by Hamas' control of the Gaza strip and its actions against Israelis, including what it calls 'the proven complicity of UN bodies such as UNRWA.' 'The report aims to deny Israel's right to defend itself against terrorism. It does not cite any of the many positive actions undertaken by Israel in the humanitarian field and neglects to mention the continuous refusal by Hamas of a US-brokered hostage deal (the 'Witkoff Proposal') which Israel has agreed to,' the letter says. Secondly, the Israeli foreign ministry letter claims that the EUSR report also 'fails methodologically'. No opportunity to defend itself, Israel claims 'Israel was not given an opportunity to defend itself against the extreme accusations mounted on it. Regretfully, even a person facing dismissal from a job, receives more leeway to state his or her case, than the complete disregard the EUSR has shown toward the objective facts and evidence of the State of Israel," the letter claims. The EUSR did not adhere to due process, it alleges, choosing not to engage Israel in dialogue over the report. The EUSR also did not allow Israeli information to be included in the report; and in fact, even when Israel thoroughly detailed its position in communication– offering detailed answers on several topics - the information presented was neither added nor addressed in the report,' the letter states. The letter insists on 'Israel's Compliance with International Law', and claims that 'a simple dialogue with Israeli authorities could have made these facts clear. Israel is a democratic state abiding by IHL and international law, while fighting to survive in a region void of democracy and full of terrorism and radicalism. Its actions should be judged fairly and honestly, a process at which the report in question has failed.' 'Throughout the war against Hamas, Israel has facilitated the transfer of large quantities of humanitarian aid into Gaza, even under fire,' the letter says in response to the EUSR report, which speaks about the blockade of humanitarian assistance, military strikes against hospitals, the forced displacement of the Palestinian population, mass arrests, arbitrary detentions, the expansion of settlements, which are illegal under international law, in the Occupied Territories, and the violence committed by settlers. According to the EUSR report, the violations are described as numerous and serious. The internal review exercise was launched last month at the request of 17 countries, led by the Netherlands, to determine whether Israel was still complying with Article 2 of the Association Agreement, which states bilateral relations "shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which guides their internal and international policy and constitutes an essential element of this agreement". The Israeli foreign ministry response concludes that the EUSR report 'is absurd and reflects an unprecedented process directed at a democratic state in the midst of war,' and that it 'completely ignores the circumstances, as well as the substantive comments and responses provided by Israel.' The stern response by Israel's foreign ministry appears to echo the statements made by Israel's ambassador to the EU and NATO Haim Regev, on Thursday 19 June. In an interview with Euronews, ambassador Regev was clear and firm about his government's current interactions with the European Union on the crisis with Iran and about Israel's actions in Gaza, saying 'we hear different tones, but at the end of the road we see and we feel the support.' The Israeli government has 'a continuous and intensive interaction' with the top EU institutions in Brussels, but 'of course it is complicated when it comes to have one position in the Union composed of 27 member states,' the Israeli diplomat said. 'There is a war right now and Israel is actually leading this war against Iran, that this is the war also for the benefit, for the long run of Europe. So this is not the time right now to examine or to push things or to try to put obstacles in the Israel-EU relations," Regev concluded. The Commission and External Action Service have been approached for comment.
