About 350 ex-ministers, diplomats call for suspension of EU-Israel Association Agreement

A group of 350 former European ministers, ambassadors, and senior officials has urged the European Union to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, accusing Tel Aviv of breaching human rights obligations in Palestinian territories.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, the signatories said that, while global attention is diverted, the Israeli government has escalated its 'illegal occupation policy' and human rights violations to an intolerable level.

They said violence has continued despite a nominal ceasefire, warning that planned settlement expansion in the E1 corridor, an area that connects East Jerusalem to Ma'ale Adumim, would effectively split the West Bank and undermine prospects for a two-state solution.

They also raised concerns over legislation passed by the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, on March 30, alleging it introduces the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners while exempting Jewish Israelis.

"This abhorrent legislation is redolent of an apartheid state acting without legal restraints," they said.

The signatories argue that Israel is in breach of Article 2 of the EU-Israel agreement, which requires respect for human rights as a condition of cooperation.

"The current Israeli government violates these core EU principles with respect to Palestinians for whose welfare it remains legally and morally responsible as the occupying power," it said.

They have called on the EU to suspend the agreement fully or partially, halt trade with settlements, suspend military cooperation, and expand sanctions and visa bans on individuals involved in repression.

The statement also accused the EU of inconsistency, comparing its approach to Israel with its response to Russia, saying the disparity has created perceptions of "double standards."

Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, attacks by the Israeli army and occupiers in the West Bank have killed at least 1,133 Palestinians, wounded about 11,700 others, and led to nearly 22,000 arrests, according to Palestinian figures.

In a landmark opinion in July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.