Brussels - Saba:
A group of 27 former European Union ambassadors called for the suspension of the bloc's Association Agreement with Israel due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
This came in a letter published by the former ambassadors on Friday, according to the Belgium-based news website EUobserverer.
The 27 European diplomats, who previously served as ambassadors to the Middle East and North Africa, expressed their deep concern over the EU's silence regarding Israel's genocidal war in Gaza since October 7, 2023.
The ambassadors noted Israel's excessive and indiscriminate use of military force in the Strip, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians and the destruction of most of Gaza's infrastructure.
They noted that the EU has been reluctant to take serious action against the violence perpetrated by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank.
The ambassadors called on the EU to suspend existing trade and scientific relations with Israel under the Association Agreement.
At the request of the Netherlands, the European Union reviewed a clause in Article 2 of the Association Agreement with Israel, which stipulates both parties' commitment to human rights and international law, and concluded that Tel Aviv has violated this clause.
EU foreign ministers are scheduled to meet next Tuesday in Brussels to discuss possible further stepsز
Suspending the agreement entirely requires unanimous approval from member states.
Earlier Friday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called for the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement on the grounds of its genocide.
The Association Agreement between the European Union and Israel was signed in Brussels on November 20, 1995, and entered into force on June 1, 2000, after being ratified by the parliaments of the EU member states, the European Parliament, and the Israeli Knesset.
Article 2 of the Association Agreement stipulates that relations between the two parties are based on "human rights".
Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with US support, has been committing genocide in Gaza, including killing, starvation, destruction, and forced displacement, ignoring all international calls and orders from the International Court of Justice to halt it.
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