BRUSSELS Nov. 13 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, will put on the table of the Twenty-seven a proposal to suspend political dialogue with Israel in response to the Human Rights violations in its offensive in the Gaza Strip.
“I will present a proposal for the EU to invoke the Human Rights clause to suspend the political dialogue with Israel and propose to the Council a decision to that effect,” states the communication from the head of European diplomacy to the EU foreign ministers. to which Europa Press has had access. Borrell will meet with the ministers on Monday in Brussels in what will, in principle, be his last Foreign Affairs Council before leaving office.
In fact, Borrell already indicated a month ago his intention for the bloc’s member states to evaluate Israel’s commitment to Human Rights within the framework of the Association Agreement that governs relations with the EU, following the demand of Spain and Ireland. who at the beginning of 2024 demanded that the EU assess whether Israel complies with the association agreement and take measures in this regard.
The High Representative defends that this step “does not automatically suspend the meetings of the Association Council” with Israel, so the Israeli authorities can debate this measure at the next meeting of this forum, which, according to Borrell himself, is scheduled for early 2025.
It refers not only to the request of Ireland and Spain, but also to the continuing discussions within the EU on the evolution of events and to the reports of the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, which “raise serious concerns about possible infringements of international humanitarian law in Gaza”. “Unfortunately, until now Israel has not sufficiently addressed these concerns,” underlines the Spanish politician.
THE EU, DIVIDED OVER BORRELL’S PROPOSAL
The initiative of the EU Foreign Minister was brought before the EU ambassadors this Wednesday, in a step that has taken many of the member states by surprise and does not raise much hope that the measure will gather the necessary unanimity. .
In this sense, different diplomatic sources confirm to Europa Press that the proposal generates a lot of division in the bloc and there are already between six and eight skeptical countries that have expressed their disagreement with the intention of suspending political dialogue with the Israeli authorities.
Some of the delegations opposed to the measure have not hesitated to point out Borrell for a “completely outrageous” maneuver and consider him a “totally lame duck”, in reference to the fact that he is living his last days in office and has lost all authority.
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