Spain, Slovenia, Ireland push EU to debate Israel pact suspension

Spain, Slovenia and Ireland have urged the European Union to debate suspending its association agreement with Israel. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said the three countries had formally requested that the issue be placed on the agenda before a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday.

In a joint letter sent last week to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, the three governments said Israel had taken a series of measures that "contravene human rights and violate international law and international humanitarian law", adding that it breached the 1995 agreement that outlines political, economic and trade relations between the EU and Israel. The ministers pointed to a proposed Israeli law that would impose the death penalty by hanging on Palestinians convicted in military courts, describing it as "a grave violation of fundamental human rights" and a further step in the "systematic persecution, oppression, violence and discrimination" faced by Palestinians. They also cited the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, saying conditions there were "unbearable", with continuing violations of the ceasefire agreement and insufficient aid entering the territory.

Albares said, "Spain, along with Slovenia and Ireland, has requested that the suspension of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Israel be discussed and debated today." He added, "I expect every European country to uphold what the International Court of Justice and the UN say on human rights and the defence of international law. Anything different would be a defeat for the European Union."