‘Greenlight to Israel’s genocide’: Amnesty urges suspension of EU-Israel agreement
We have a new statement from Amnesty before a key European Union foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels on July 15, in which the future of the EU-Israel Association Agreement will be decided.
“When foreign ministers meet next week, there can only be one outcome: suspend the agreement,” said Eve Geddie, director of Amnesty’s European Institutions Office.
“Anything less is a greenlight for Israel to continue its genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, its unlawful occupation of the whole occupied Palestinian territory, and its system of apartheid against all Palestinians whose rights it controls.”
Her comments follow the European Commission’s long-awaited review of the agreement that was presented on June 23. While the review confirmed that Israel is breaching its human rights obligations, it failed to recommend concrete action, according to Amnesty.
“Every day the EU fails to act, the risk of complicity in Israel’s actions grows,” Geddie said.
US official bypassed safeguards to fast-track $30m to GHF: Report
A US State Department official bypassed nine mandatory counterterrorism and anti-fraud safeguards to approve a $30m aid package for the Gaza aid group backed by Israel and the Trump administration, a news report says.
According to an internal memo obtained by the Reuters news agency, Jeremy Lewin, head of the State Department’s foreign aid programme, signed off on the funding just five days after the GHF submitted its proposal on June 19.
The June 24 memorandum, bearing Lewin’s signature, noted the group’s plan failed to meet “minimum technical or budgetary standards”. Despite that, Lewin approved the funds after consulting aides to Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s negotiator on Gaza, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s office.
“I’m taking the bullet on this one,” he wrote, suggesting the move would be controversial.
The documents underscore the Trump administration’s prioritisation of GHF, despite its lack of experience and mounting criticism over its deadly aid operations. Hundreds of Palestinians have been shot and killed by Israeli forces and US contractors while seeking aid from GHF distribution sites in Gaza in recent weeks.
Netanyahu claims US and Israel ‘in lockstep’ on Gaza
Benjamin Netanyahu says he and Donald Trump are “in lockstep” over Gaza, but insisted he will not accept a ceasefire deal “at any price”.
Speaking at the US Capitol, Netanyahu told reporters, “President Trump and I have a common goal. I want to achieve the release of our hostages. We want to end Hamas rule in Gaza. We want to make sure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel any more.”
Netanyahu denied Israel is attempting to forcibly expel Palestinians, saying: “It’s called the freedom of choice … If people want to leave Gaza, they should have the right to do so.”
His comments come after Israeli media reported Netanyahu told Likud lawmakers the military is demolishing every building in Gaza to push Palestinians to leave.
