Spain, Slovenia, Ireland Push EU to Debate Israel Pact Over Gaza Actions

According to Al Jazeera, speaking ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said the three countries had formally requested that the matter be placed on the agenda.

"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," Albares said, as quoted by Al Jazeera.

"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," he added.

In a joint letter sent last week to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, the three governments alleged that Israel had undertaken actions that "contravene human rights and violate international law and international humanitarian law," stating that these steps breach the 1995 EU-Israel Association Agreement governing political, economic and trade ties.

The letter noted that repeated appeals to Israel had not yielded results. It also raised concerns over a proposed Israeli law to impose the death penalty by hanging on Palestinians convicted in military courts, calling it "a grave violation of fundamental human rights" and part of "the systematic persecution, oppression, violence and discrimination" faced by Palestinians, Al Jazeera reported.

The three countries further highlighted the humanitarian situation in Gaza, describing conditions as "unbearable" and pointing to continued ceasefire violations and inadequate humanitarian aid. They also flagged escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, alleging that settlers were acting "with absolute impunity" alongside ongoing Israeli military operations.

"The European Union can no longer remain on the sidelines," the ministers wrote, urging "bold and immediate action" and stating that all options should remain open.

They argued that Israel is in breach of Article 2 of the agreement, which links bilateral ties to respect for human rights. Referring to an earlier EU assessment, they said Israel had "likely" failed to meet these obligations, with the situation deteriorating further since then, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, during a donor conference in Brussels, Kallas said the cost of rebuilding Gaza is now estimated at USD 71 billion.

Earlier efforts by Ireland and Spain in 2024 to review the agreement did not gain sufficient support within the EU.

However, a subsequent initiative led by the Netherlands triggered an official assessment, which found probable violations by Israel. Though trade-related measures were discussed, they were not implemented after Israel committed to increasing humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Separately, Ireland is working to revive its Occupied Territories Bill, which seeks to ban trade in goods and services from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, Al Jazeera reported.

Spain and Slovenia have also taken steps to curb trade with such settlements, with Slovenia banning imports from occupied territories in 2025 and Spain implementing a similar ban starting 2026.

Notably, all three countries formally recognised the State of Palestine in May 2024 in a coordinated diplomatic move aimed at advancing a two-state solution.

- ANI