Human rights and the EU-Israel Association Agreement
4.1.2024
Priority question for written answer P-000010/2024
to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Rule 138
Grace O'Sullivan (Verts/ALE)
In the past two months, the Israel Defence Forces have been recorded and reported carrying out the following acts in Gaza:
Targeting of hospitals, destruction of schools (including EU-funded institutions), intentional targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, torture and degrading treatment of prisoners, looting of civilian property, destruction of religious sites, killing of over 85 journalists and media workers, illegal blockade, starvation as a weapon of war, desecration of burial grounds, forced transfer of over 1 million civilians and the extra-judicial execution of surrendered combatants and civilians.
In recent days, the Government of Israel has denounced the International Criminal Court, while Cabinet Members have called for the ethnic cleansing of the Occupied Palestinian Territories on a number of occasions. In the West Bank, weapons have been distributed by the government to Israelis living in illegal settlements, where violence against Palestinians has skyrocketed.
- 1.Does the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy consider the above actions to constitute a breach of Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which defines respect for human rights and democratic principles as an ’essential element’ of the Agreement?
- 2.If so, will the EU suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement?
- 3.If not, why do the above actions not constitute a breach of human rights?
Submitted:4.1.2024