Josep Borrell will say goodbye to EU foreign ministers with a final attempt to formally question Benjamin Netanyahu for the massacre of the Palestinian population. “The risk of worsening of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, particularly in the north, makes the Union’s reaction particularly urgent,” says the proposal to suspend political dialogue with Israel that the head of European diplomacy will put on the table. table. ministers next Monday.
The text, to which elDiario.es had access, makes a compilation of the EU’s reactions as Israel has intensified its offensive in the Middle East since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. And the conclusion of the high representative which has been setting the stage and raising its voice for some time is that it has violated international law and the human rights of the Palestinian population. The proposal has no economic or commercial consequences, but it is a “political gesture” and a “way of forcing member states to discuss the issue” that Spain and Ireland put on the table in February , according to community sources.
This is why he proposes to break off the political dialogue within the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean agreement, a decision which can be evaluated with the government of this country within the EU-Israel Association Council when Tel Aviv has accepted the the invitation made to him in June, when a sufficient majority was reached within the 27 to summon the Minister of Foreign Affairs in response to the decision to ignore the order of the International Court of Justice to stop the land operation in Rafah.
“It is advisable to suspend political dialogue with Israel until significant improvements are made in respecting human rights,” defends the proposal that foreign ministers already have on the table. Borrell’s intention is to force a debate on the formal repercussions that the violation of international law should have for Israel, although approval of the proposal is complicated due to the deep division within the EU on this question and the complicity of a large part of the European Union. European capitals with this country.
Borrell’s proposal takes a chronological review of EU responses to Israel’s actions that begins with the warning that “the protection of all civilians at all times, in accordance with international humanitarian law” must be guaranteed in responding to Hamas attacks. “The European Council of 22 March 2024 declared itself deeply concerned by the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza and its disproportionate effects on the civilian population, in particular children, as well as by the imminent risk of famine caused by the insufficient arrival of aid to Gaza. “He considered that full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to and throughout the Gaza Strip via all routes was essential to provide civilians with vital assistance and basic services on a large scale,” notes- he.
“Disproportionate loss of civilians”
“The European Council of June 27, 2024 once again underlined the importance of respecting and implementing the legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice. During the present meeting, he referred to the additional orders issued by the Court on March 28, 2024 and May 24, 2024, in which the Court called on Israel to immediately end its offensive in Rafah, to keep open the border crossing at Rafah and ensure unhindered access. to the Gaza Strip of any commission of inquiry, fact-finding mission or other investigative body designated by the competent organs of the United Nations to investigate allegations of genocide,” the document continues.
Once the facts are detailed, the proposal recalls the EU’s legal commitments on human rights and international legality, included in its own founding treaty. “Article 2 of the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement between the European Union and its Member States and Israel establishes that “the relations between the parties, as well as all the provisions of the agreement itself, are based on respect for human rights and democracy. principles “, which guide its domestic and international policy and constitute an essential element of this Agreement”, he said.
Israel boycotts international investigations
“Israeli armed forces have continued their military attacks in Gaza for over a year and in Lebanon for two months, leading in many cases to a disproportionate loss of civilian lives,” the bill states, recalling that the Security Council The European Union has repeatedly called on Israel to “distinguish between combatants and civilians and apply the principle of proportionality” in both Gaza and Lebanon. “So far, the Israeli government has failed to thoroughly investigate allegations of war crimes and has prevented an independent investigation by international organizations,” he adds.
Another reason given is the violent attacks by settlers against the Palestinian population. “Respect for human rights under Article 2 of the Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement includes the duty of the Israeli government to ensure that individuals do not commit acts of violence against residents Palestinians from the occupied territory”, recalls the text before noting: “The European Council has repeatedly condemned the extremist violence of the settlers and has sanctioned several perpetrators of this violence. “The Israeli government has not stopped such violence, but has indirectly encouraged the forced seizure of Palestinian land through the so-called legalization of illegal settlements, contrary to international law. »
Based on these arguments, Borrell’s proposal, following Spain and Ireland’s request to review the trade agreement with Israel due to the Gaza massacre, is to suspend the political dialogue, which would not does not entail financial consequences, as the document itself recognizes on its third page. . If the measure is approved, it will be a duty for her successor, the Estonian Kaja Kallas, who will have to continue preparing the meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council: “This decision must be the subject of consultations within the Council of association if this is requested by Israel.
