Geneva (TDI): UN experts called for the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement as a minimum requirement under international law, in a statement issued on Monday.
The experts said that Europe faces a clear moral test as its Foreign Ministers meet in Luxembourg today to consider suspension of the Agreement in full or in part. They noted that the European Citizens Initiative calling for full suspension has gathered over one million signatures.
The experts recalled that under Article 2 of the Agreement, respect for human rights and democratic principles is an essential element.
They said serious and persistent breaches of international human rights law and international humanitarian law by Israel should have triggered suspension long ago.
The experts pointed to provisional measures rulings by the International Court of Justice that found a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza and issued binding orders for humanitarian aid and prevention of irreparable harm.
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They also referenced the Court’s July 2024 advisory opinion declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory unlawful.
They further cited arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The experts declared that full suspension is not a matter of political discretion but a legal imperative for the European Union.
“In light of the gravity and scale of the human rights violations documented, full suspension is not a matter of political discretion but a legal imperative incumbent on the European Union, and represents the minimum measure required to align its actions with its obligations under international law,” the statement read.
“Europe faces a clear moral test, when its Foreign Ministers meet in Luxembourg tomorrow, 21 April, to consider the suspension, in full or in part of this Agreement,” it added.
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The statement documented patterns of genocide, widespread torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, forced displacement, and ethnic cleansing.
In Gaza, they highlighted “domicide” – the complete destruction of housing “scholasticide” – the annihilation of the education system, deliberate starvation through obstruction of aid and safe water with prolonged environmental devastation and the targeted destruction of the healthcare system with similar patterns continue in the occupied West Bank.
The experts described these as a systematic violation of virtually all human rights and freedoms as a structural feature of Israel’s regime. They also condemned Israel’s recent death penalty law as a discriminatory regime that violates international law.
The EU-Israel Association Agreement, in force since 2000, grants Israel preferential access to European markets, including tariff-free entry for agricultural goods. As Israel’s largest trading partner, the EU’s continued economic ties are now under scrutiny.
Muhammad Usman Hashmi is a researcher in International Relations, focusing on climate diplomacy, global governance, and political economy in the Global South. He has contributed to policy dialogues with the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia and serves as a Senior Research Fellow at the International Council on Human Rights, Peace and Politics. He is also associated with Rethinking Economics Islamabad, contributing to research on development and sustainability.
