European leaders delay action to suspend trade with Israel

EUROPEAN LEADERS HAVE delayed taking any action to suspend trade with Israel following a review of the agreement this week, which found that the country had breached its human rights obligations included in the deal.

EU leaders have been meeting in Brussels today to discuss tariffs, the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. It was expected that leaders would postpone taking action, as there is not a consensus among European governments on Israel’s war in Gaza.

Following debates at the European Council today, the leaders concluded that the council will continue to discuss the issue at a follow-up meeting next month. 

Its conclusion read: “The European Council takes note of the report on Israel’s compliance with Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and invites the Council to continue discussions on a follow-up, as appropriate, in July 2025, taking into account the evolution of the situation on the ground.”

Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and a number of other countries have been calling for concrete action to be taken in respect of the review’s findings, which noted that Israel had not fulfil human rights obligations with its war in Gaza and actions in the West Bank.

Speaking earlier, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he would be seeking to put pressure on the Council to take action.

Martin said: “I will be saying to my European colleagues that the people of Europe find it incomprehensible that Europe does not seek to be in a position to put pressure on Israel and leverage on Israel to stop this war in Gaza, to stop the continuing slaughter of children and innocent civilians.

“The war must stop. There must be a humanitarian response and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, an end to the blockade.

“I understand there are historical reasons why some member states have a particular perspective on this, in terms of the Middle East issue, but from a humanitarian perspective, it is incomprehensible what is going on, what continues to go on.

“Europe needs to really articulate that in the strongest possible way, and we will be seeking to pursue mechanisms to entire that this war stops, and that humanitarian aid gets into Gaza.”

A third of Israel’s imports come from the EU, valued at over €23bn annually, while Europe imports less than 1% of its goods from Israel.

Suspending trade ties would require a unanimous decision, which is likely impossible as countries like Austria, Germany and Hungary, that tend to more supportive of Israel’s government.

The EU has started to engage with Israel’s government to outline the recent review’s findings. Ireland was among ten member states who requested that a review take place in the context of the EU’s compliance with the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice.

The non-binding advisory opinion found that “Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful and needs to be brought to an end as rapidly as possible”.