Brussels, MINA – Amnesty International has harshly criticized the European Union’s decision to maintain its association agreement with Israel, calling it a “cruel and unlawful betrayal” of the EU’s own founding principles and commitment to human rights.
Following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Tuesday, Amnesty’s Secretary General, Agnes Callamard, issued a strong statement condemning the decision.
“The EU’s refusal to suspend the agreement represents a betrayal of the very project of the Union, which is founded on respect for international law and opposition to tyranny,” she said. “This day will go down as one of the most shameful moments in EU history.”
Amnesty accused the EU of abandoning a crucial opportunity to uphold justice and human rights in response to what it describes as ongoing Israeli violations against Palestinians, including “genocide in Gaza,” “illegal occupation,” and an “apartheid system.”
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The organization also noted that the EU’s own internal review confirmed that Israel is breaching its human rights obligations under the agreement. Despite this, the EU chose to continue the preferential trade deal, which Amnesty argues undermines its credibility and increases the risk of complicity in international crimes.
Callamard called on EU member states to take independent or joint action, including suspending cooperation with Israel, imposing a comprehensive arms embargo, and banning trade and investment linked to illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Although EU foreign ministers reportedly discussed a range of measures, such as suspending the agreement, initiating an arms embargo, ending research cooperation, and sanctioning Israeli officials, none of the proposals received enough support.
Amnesty urged EU countries to realign their policies with international law, especially following the 2024 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. []
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