The Dutch proposal is supported by seventeen of the twenty-seven member states. The supporters want Israel to stop the violence in Gaza and believe that the European Union should align its relations with Israel with its human rights policy. According to EU Commissioner Kaja Kallas, this concerns a revision of the association agreement, not a suspension.
Earlier this year, a similar proposal was rejected. At that time, there was insufficient support among member states to reassess the association agreement. The fact that there is now a majority indicates a shift within the EU regarding Israel's military actions in Gaza.
Germany opposes imposing sanctions on Israel. The German government favors dialogue and cooperation, even in times of conflict. This German resistance is an important reason why an actual suspension has not yet occurred.
Relations with Israel are currently one of the most politically sensitive dossiers in Brussels. Regarding the military violence against the population of the Gaza Strip, almost no one dares to use the word ‘genocide’, let alone put it on paper.
Amnesty International calls the EU member states' decision to revise their relationship with Israel “welcome but devastatingly late.” According to the human rights organization, EU countries should have taken action much earlier. Amnesty points to the high number of deadly civilian casualties among Palestinians as grounds for more urgent action.
Other organizations, such as the Committee to Protect Journalists, also urge turning decision-making into concrete action. They highlight the increasing number of journalist casualties in Gaza and call on the EU to hold Israel accountable. They advocate for a stronger policy from Brussels.
The EU Commission is now tasked with exploring how the revision of the association agreement can be shaped. According to diplomats' statements, no formal decision has yet been made, but this is a clear political step. The European Commission has not given a timeline.
The association agreement regulates, among other things, trade and political cooperation between the EU and Israel. The treaty conditions state that human rights form an essential basis for the cooperation. The call for revision arises from the conviction that Israel is currently violating these conditions.