The head of the EU diplomatic service, Josep Borrell, has proposed that the EU countries suspend political dialogue with Israel, citing possible human rights violations in the Gaza Strip during the Israeli military operation. This was reported by Reuters, citing European diplomats and a corresponding letter from Borrell.
According to the agency, the letter was sent to the foreign ministers of the EU member states on Wednesday, a few days before their meeting on November 18 in Brussels. For Borrell, this summit of foreign ministers will be his last as the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, since he will leave the post on December 1, when the new European Commission begins work.
In the letter, Borrell expresses “serious concerns about possible violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza,” and also states that, in his opinion, “Israel has not yet responded adequately to these concerns.” The mechanism for political dialogue is provided for in the agreement between the EU and Israel, regulating bilateral relations. “In light of these circumstances, I will put forward a proposal for the EU to use the [bilateral agreement] human rights clause to suspend political dialogue with Israel,” Reuters quotes Borrell as saying.
The agency’s interlocutors noted that the initiative is unlikely to be supported, since in this case the approval of all 27 member states is required. According to them, an unnamed EU representative informed the permanent representatives of the community countries in Brussels on Wednesday, many of whom spoke out against it. At the same time, Borrell’s initiative will send a “strong signal” of concern about how Israel is conducting its military operation, one of the diplomats told the agency.