EU-Israel Association Agreement

In reaction to the recent announcement that the EU will review the EU-Israel Association Agreement, Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam’s Policy lead in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Gaza: “Let’s be clear: it is a welcome step, but far too little and too late. For months upon months, the people of Gaza have endured unimaginable suffering. Entire families erased. Homes, hospitals and schools reduced to rubble.

As EU and Israeli officials meet today behind closed doors to discuss their bilateral relationship, Agnès Bertrand-Sanz, Oxfam humanitarian expert, said: “The EU includes human rights clauses in its bilateral deals for a reason, yet with Israel, these clauses seem optional. By having this meeting, the EU is signalling that it is business as usual”. 

In a letter published ahead of the European Union (EU)-Israel Association Council, a coalition of civil society and human rights organisations publish a clear case for the EU to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement in the face of Israel’s breaches of international law and call on the European Commission to draft a proposal accordingly. The forthcoming EU-Israel Association Council must address Israel’s violation of Article 2 and act decisively to uphold its commitment to human rights and international law.