Reacting to the EU’s failure to call for a vote to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement or to agree on any other concrete measures today at the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg,
Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns said:
“At this point, the EU’s decision to maintain its trade agreement with Israel represents a moral failure and illustrates brazen contempt for civilian lives, particularly in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and in Lebanon.
“One million people in Europe, more than 75 NGOs, almost 400 former diplomats, UN experts as well as Belgium, Ireland, Slovenia and Spain have all called for the immediate suspension of the agreement. Once again, these calls have been disregarded with Germany and Italy playing a key role in blocking the suspension.
“This will be remembered as another shameful chapter in one of the most disgraceful moments in the EU’s history.”
Erika Guevara-Rosas, Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy and Campaigns
“Almost a year ago, the EU found that Israel’s crimes under international law against Palestinians violate the agreement’s human rights clause. Since then, Israel has continued to cross every single EU red line.
“Decades of impunity afforded to Israel by the international community, including the EU, have only emboldened it to escalate its violations of international humanitarian law. This is evidenced by Israel’s genocide in Gaza, its ongoing unlawful occupation of the whole OPT, the system of apartheid imposed against all Palestinians whose rights it controls and its new death penalty law, which will in practice apply exclusively to Palestinians.
“Since the so-called ceasefire in Gaza in October 2025, which the EU has used to justify its inaction, over 740 Palestinians have been killed as Israeli air strikes, shelling and cruel blockade persist. In Lebanon, Israeli forces have killed and wounded thousands of people, including healthcare workers, and have displaced more than a million people since the re-escalation of hostilities with Hezbollah on 2 March.
“The EU must not again use fragile ceasefires as an excuse to give Israel yet another free pass. Each delay only further entrenches impunity and paves the way for further grave human rights violations. EU member states must urgently take matters into their own hands and unilaterally suspend all forms of cooperation with Israel that may contribute to its grave violations of international law.”
Background
At today’s foreign affairs council, EU ministers failed to agree on any concrete measures, once again delaying meaningful action.
The suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement is one of many concrete steps the EU can and must take to bring an end to Israel’s violations and its own risk of complicity in them.
The EU should also bring its actions in line with international law by banning trade with Israel’s illegal settlements in the OPT, a call long supported by Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Spain, recently joined by France and Sweden.
Until then, member states must adopt national bans on trade with settlements.
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