EU-Israel trade agreement to come under scrutiny during EU meeting in Brussels
EU ministers are meeting here in Brussels amid growing discontent in Europe [with the war on Gaza].
The Netherlands is going to lead a push to review the EU-Israel Association Agreement. It’s going to be backed by many other countries, including France, Ireland…
But Germany, which is a financial and political heavyweight, has dismissed the push to put into action any sanctions or a review of that trade agreement, saying it has to be given time. Many other countries are sceptical of the push for sanctions or to review the bloc’s trade relationship with Israel.
If they decide today to go forward with this review, it’s going to be a significant diplomatic development.
I doubt anything will come of that, member states will have to put up their own sanctions since Germany or Hungary can easily block this. Netanyahu has Orban in his back pocket and already got Hungary to withdraw from the ICC. Hungary is never going to agree to change the EU-Israel association agreement.
"These agreements, like the EU-Canada CETA, require unanimous approval in the Council and ratification by all Member States' parliaments. This process can be lengthy and complex, as it requires agreement from all 27 Member States, and even a single nation can block the ratification."
Just more show while the member states can easily impose their own sanctions and stop weapon shipments.
"The EU Council adopts sanctions through Council decisions, which must be agreed upon unanimously by member states."
"Some types of sanctions, such as arms embargoes and travel bans, are often implemented individually by member states through their national legislation."
It would be great if the EU could sanction Israel, yet the unanimous vote requirement makes it impossible with Orban certainly voting against.
EU’s top diplomat: Israel’s aid plans for Gaza ‘not enough’
The EU’s foreign policy chief has called for unrestricted aid to flow in Gaza, describing the volumes Israel planned to allow in as “a drop in the ocean”.
Speaking to Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra in Brussels, Kaja Kallas said European ministers gathered in Brussels were set to have a “very hard discussion on Gaza and what is happening there”.
Specifically, the ministers would be discussing a Dutch proposal to review the Association Agreement between the EU and Israel, particularly Article 2, which states that both parties must respect human rights.
“I can’t predict the outcome of this discussion,” she said. “But I think what is important, where we all have similar views, is that humanitarian aid should reach Gaza as soon as possible.”
She said Israel’s decision to allow a limited amount of aid into Gaza, following a months-long blockade, was “welcomed, but it’s not enough”.
“There are thousands of trucks behind the borders waiting,” she said. “It is European money that has funded this humanitarian aid, and it has to reach the people, because the situation is extremely grave.”
