European Union foreign ministers failed to reach a consensus on suspending political dialogue with Israel during a meeting in Brussels, as reported by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.
The EU’s outgoing foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, urged EU foreign ministers to evaluate whether Israel is violating the human rights clause of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
After the meeting, Mr. Sikorski told reporters: “We are aware of the tragic events occurring in Gaza, with substantial civilian casualties, but we must not overlook who instigated the current cycle of violence.”
“I can confirm that there was no consensus on the proposal to suspend negotiations with Israel.”
Taoiseach Simon Harris stated that a “clear message” must be conveyed that the conflict needs to end.
He remarked: “The human rights violations occurring in Gaza, alongside the catastrophic loss of life and human suffering, are unacceptable.”
“I have consistently called for a meaningful interpretation of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and have advocated for this at every opportunity.”
“We must deliver a clear message that the conflict must conclude and the killing of innocents must cease.”
Radoslaw Sikorski emphasized that there was no agreement on suspending negotiations with Israel.
Mr. Borrell, whose five-year tenure concludes on December 1, announced he would request EU foreign ministers to explore options to hold Israel accountable for adhering to the human rights clause of the Association Agreement during his final meeting as the EU’s foreign policy chief.
He informed reporters in Brussels that he would also urge foreign ministers to ensure the EU complies with the advisory ruling from the International Court of Justice, which declared in July that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories was illegal.
Iceland and Spain have long advocated for the EU to investigate whether Israel is in violation of Article 2 of the Association Agreement, which pertains to trade and various areas of bilateral cooperation, due to its military operations in Gaza.
Article 2 commits both parties to uphold fundamental human rights.
The European Commission has yet to assess Israel’s compliance with Article 2 due to a lack of agreement among member states on the matter.
Generally, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic have opposed any efforts to impose trade sanctions on Israel through Article 2 or to prompt the Commission to investigate any potential violations.
Following the initiative by Ireland and Spain in February, attempts have been made to reconcile both sides through the EU-Israel Association Council.
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Nonetheless, disagreements have arisen regarding the agenda of the meeting and the potential venue.
Mr. Borrell indicated that Israel is open to holding a meeting of the Association Council before the conclusion of Hungary’s EU presidency on December 31.
Mr. Borrell stated: “I will present to my colleagues a proposal to examine the decisions that could be made for compliance with the [EU-Israel] Association Council, focusing on human rights, and also what measures can be taken to ensure we adhere to our commitments not to engage in trade with products made in occupied territories consistent with the ruling of the International Court of Justice.”
He noted that there were “no more words” to adequately describe the situation in Gaza.
Mr. Borrell revealed that UN Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher informed him that 44,000 individuals have lost their lives since Israel commenced its military campaign in response to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which resulted in 1,200 Israeli deaths and the abduction of 250 hostages.
He mentioned that 70% of casualties in Gaza are women and children, with the highest number being children under nine.
EU diplomats have indicated that there is minimal chance of Mr. Borrell’s proposal about the EU-Israel Association Agreement achieving consensus at today’s meeting.
One diplomat, who does not belong to the member states traditionally supportive of Israel, commented that the proposal appeared “designed to fail” due to being “ill-prepared.”
