Borrell proposes to suspend EU-Israel political talks over Gaza war

Josep Borrell (pictured), who is to leave his post of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy at the end of this month, has proposed to formally suspend the EU’s political dialogue with Israel over the country’s alleged violations of human rights and international law in the Gaza Strip. The EU foreign affairs chief’s proposal, made in view of alleged ”human rights violations”, is highly likely to be opposed by several member states at a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on Monday (18 November) in Brussels, writes Yossi Lempcowicz.

According to Euronews, which quotes diplomatic sources, Borrell will make the proposal at a meeting of the 27 EU foreign ministers in Brussels next Monday.

The proposal was first raised during a meeting this week of the coreper, the meeting of 27 Eu ambassadorrs preparing the Foreign Affairs Council.

A decision on the suspension of the political dialogue with Israel in the framework of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, requires unanimity among the 27 member states, which means that the proposal is almost certain to fail given sharp divisions over the war in Gaza.

Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy and Greece reportedly were among the countries opposing the idea.

Last May, Spain and Ireland, two of the main anti-Israel countries in Europe, sent a letter to the President of the European Commission demanding an ‘’urgent review’’ of the EU-Israel Association Agreement over ‘’human rights’’ concerns.

Borrell, who will be succeeded in December by former Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas, has tried to organize a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council ”not to discuss business as usual” but human rights issues; He failed because of a lack of agreement between the parties on an agenda.

Last month, Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris called on the European Union to “review its trade relations” with Israel, following what he described as a “shameful” vote by the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, on a law banning the activities of UNWRA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, in that country.

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