EU Should Halt Free Trade Agreement with Israel, Says Member State
Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez has stated that Brussels should consider terminating the EU free trade agreement with Israel due to suspected human rights violations. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Spain has reiterated its call for the European Union to reconsider its Association Agreement with Israel due to concerns regarding human rights.
On Monday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez emphasized the necessity for the EU to contemplate suspending its free trade agreement with Israel in response to alleged human rights abuses. Sanchez has previously urged the international community to stop arms sales to Israel.
In February, Spain and Ireland formally requested the European Commission to review the EU-Israel Association Agreement amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza and increasing apprehension regarding potential violations of international human rights law by Israel. The European Commission has yet to issue a response to this request.
“The European Commission must respond once and for all to the formal request made by two European countries to suspend the association agreement with Israel if it is found, as everything suggests, that human rights are being violated,” Sanchez remarked at an event on Monday.
Sanchez also voiced disapproval of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s calls for the withdrawal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon from combat zones, asserting, “There is not going to be a withdrawal of UNIFIL,” while criticizing attacks on peacekeepers.
Recently, the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, led by Spanish Lieutenant General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz, reported several Israeli attacks on its personnel as Israel intensified its ground operations. Spain has sent over 600 peacekeepers to Lebanon, and in the wake of these attacks, Sanchez has urged the international community to halt arms exports to the Israeli government.
In his speech, he called on other nations to echo Spain's condemnation of Israel’s assaults on UNIFIL, asserting that Netanyahu “has one aim, that of imposing a new regional order by force.” Sanchez advocated for a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, accusing Netanyahu of seeking to “destroy” this objective.
Earlier this year, both Spain and Ireland officially recognized the state of Palestine.
The international community has grown increasingly critical of the Israeli military following a year of conflict in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. South Africa initiated a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice earlier this year, claiming that the Jewish state was committing “genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza.
Since the announcement of a second phase in the conflict and an escalation into Lebanon, at least 37 countries contributing to UN forces have condemned Israeli operations targeting UNIFIL.
According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, more than 2,100 fatalities have occurred in Lebanon due to hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
On Monday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez emphasized the necessity for the EU to contemplate suspending its free trade agreement with Israel in response to alleged human rights abuses. Sanchez has previously urged the international community to stop arms sales to Israel.
In February, Spain and Ireland formally requested the European Commission to review the EU-Israel Association Agreement amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza and increasing apprehension regarding potential violations of international human rights law by Israel. The European Commission has yet to issue a response to this request.
“The European Commission must respond once and for all to the formal request made by two European countries to suspend the association agreement with Israel if it is found, as everything suggests, that human rights are being violated,” Sanchez remarked at an event on Monday.
Sanchez also voiced disapproval of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s calls for the withdrawal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon from combat zones, asserting, “There is not going to be a withdrawal of UNIFIL,” while criticizing attacks on peacekeepers.
Recently, the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, led by Spanish Lieutenant General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz, reported several Israeli attacks on its personnel as Israel intensified its ground operations. Spain has sent over 600 peacekeepers to Lebanon, and in the wake of these attacks, Sanchez has urged the international community to halt arms exports to the Israeli government.
In his speech, he called on other nations to echo Spain's condemnation of Israel’s assaults on UNIFIL, asserting that Netanyahu “has one aim, that of imposing a new regional order by force.” Sanchez advocated for a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, accusing Netanyahu of seeking to “destroy” this objective.
Earlier this year, both Spain and Ireland officially recognized the state of Palestine.
The international community has grown increasingly critical of the Israeli military following a year of conflict in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of over 42,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities. South Africa initiated a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice earlier this year, claiming that the Jewish state was committing “genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza.
Since the announcement of a second phase in the conflict and an escalation into Lebanon, at least 37 countries contributing to UN forces have condemned Israeli operations targeting UNIFIL.
According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, more than 2,100 fatalities have occurred in Lebanon due to hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
