Brussels (TDI): On Thursday, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia called on the European to put “real pressure” on Israel to address the human suffering that is happening in the Gaza Strip and demanded the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and sanctions on Israel.
Spain, Ireland and Slovenia have called on the European Union to put “real pressure” on Israel to address the human suffering in the Gaza Strip.
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Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez told reporters at a press conference following the Council summit. “I defended that the EU must suspend the association agreement between Europe and Israel, as a measure that is proportional to the humanitarian catastrophe (…) in Palestine,” “From a political and moral point of view, we have the obligation, the moral duty to saves lives in Gaza,” reported by euro news.
Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that the “degree of carnage and destruction” as well as “death and injury to children” in Gaza requires “strong” humanitarian and political responses from the EU. Martin said he found it “incomprehensible” that Europe cannot find a way “to pressure Israel to stop this war in Gaza”.
But despite a majority of 17 countries calling, the leaders concluded only “to continue discussions on a follow-up… taking into account the evolution of the situation on the ground.”
Thursday’s conclusions on Israel came despite pressure from Spain but also Ireland and Slovenia whose leaders had called on the EU prior to the Council summit to take concrete steps to condemn Tel Aviv’s violations in Gaza.
Earlier the European Union on Monday stated that there are “indications” that actions of Israel in Gaza are violating human rights obligations in the agreement governing its ties with the EU. A European External Action Service (EEAS) report flagged “indications” that Israel may have violated human rights obligations under Article 2 of the EU‑Israel agreement.
On Wednesday, the Israeli military killed at least 45 Palestinians, including some who had sought aid, the health ministry said.
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