A significant majority of EU states have backed a proposal to review the union’s agreement governing relations with Israel, in a move aimed at forcing the release of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said that in response to the “catastrophic” situation in Gaza, a “huge” majority of member states had supported a call to review the EU-Israel deal.
Of the 27 national capitals, 17 supported a review into the EU’s trade agreement with Israel, to determine if its actions during the war in Gaza breached commitments to respect human rights. Nine EU states opposed the proposal.
Ireland, Spain and other states have been calling for the EU to exert more leverage on Israel over the course of the Gaza war, including by reviewing the union’s “association agreement”. The long standing deal governs relations between the EU and Israel, including its trading relationship.
The small amount of humanitarian aid Israel has allowed into Gaza is a “drop in the ocean”, Ms Kallas said.
Israel’s near-three month blockade, stopping food and aid getting into the Palestinian enclave, has seen a number of EU states switch positions and support the bloc putting more pressure on Israel.
Aid agencies have been repeatedly warning that blocking the flow of aid into Gaza has put the two million Palestinians in the territory at risk of famine, as food, fuel and other supplies begin to run out.
In response to growing international pressure, Israel allowed five United Nations aid trucks into the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.
Ms Kallas said this represented only a “drop in the ocean” and more needed to be done. “There are thousands of [aid] trucks behind the borders waiting ... It has to reach the people because the situation is extremely grave,” she said.
Minister of State for International Development Neale Richmond, representing the Irish Government, said the EU needed to step up and hold Israel to account.
“Children are dying, children are starving, families are being murdered every day,” he said. “Over 60 days the people of Gaza haven’t been able to access basic medicines, shelter and food, it’s absolutely horrendous.”
There had been “very clear breaches” by Israel of the human rights clauses in its agreement with the EU, the Fine Gael TD said.
Ireland and Spain first proposed the EU’s association agreement with Israel be reviewed in February 2024, in response to Israel’s actions during the war in Gaza.
The Dutch government has been behind the renewed push to pressure the European Commission to examine the deal.
The proposal to review the agreement is also supported by the governments of France, Finland, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden and others.
Speaking before the meeting, Ms Kallas said she wanted to hear all the views around the table. She said her “priority” was to first make sure enough humanitarian aid got into Gaza.
