Brussels, MINA – The UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, on Tuesday, urged the European Union to suspend its Association Agreement with Israel. She cited the bloc’s legal obligations under international law as the basis for her appeal.
Albanese made the statement via her X account, coinciding with a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels to discuss the status of the agreement.
According to Albanese, the meeting would only become “historic” if it led to the cessation of genocide, the dismantling of Israel’s persistent occupation and apartheid, and the beginning of justice and accountability.
Albanese criticized the EU’s statements describing diplomatic dialogue with Israel as an achievement, arguing that concrete action against violations of international law is what should be taken.
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She asserted that the EU is legally obligated to suspend its Association Agreement with Israel, particularly given violations of Article 2, which mandates respect for human rights.
“Questioning whether Israel is violating Article 2 is not only unnecessary, it is grotesque,” Albanese stated, citing rulings from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and various UN bodies.
According to recent data, Albanese noted that the EU is Israel’s largest trading partner and primary investor, almost twice as large as the United States.
“Continuing trade with an economy inseparable from occupation, apartheid, and genocide means becoming complicit in these crimes,” she added.
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Between 2023 and 2024, EU exports to Israel increased by €1.2 billion. Albanese believes that such economic support signifies an endorsement of the collapse of the international legal order.
She emphasized that the EU is facing a critical moral and legal choice: “Whether to deepen this shameful stain, or finally uphold the values the European Union claims to represent,” she said.
Meanwhile, while a full suspension of the agreement requires a unanimous vote, a partial suspension in areas such as trade, research, or political dialogue can be achieved through a majority vote.
Some countries, including Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia, have expressed support for suspending the agreement, while Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary are known to oppose it. [Shibgho]
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