The European Foreign Affairs Council has recently agreed to review whether Israel is complying with the E.U.-Israel Association Agreement. Signed in 2000, the deal establishes a permanent framework for economic cooperation between the parties. On May 20th, 17 out of 27 countries approved the review proposal issued by Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, while 10 countries, including Italy and Germany, opposed it. The purpose of the review is to determine whether Israel is breaching Article 2 of the agreement, which states that respect for human rights and democratic principles is an essential condition for the relationship between Israel and the European Union. 

The decision to review the agreement is a response to Israel’s severe and persistent human rights violations in Gaza, particularly following the humanitarian aid blockade of the past three months. “The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. Pressure is needed to bring about change,” declared E.U. High Representative Kaja Kallas during a press statement following the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on May 20th. In response, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein stated on X: “We completely reject the direction taken in the statement, which reflects a total misunderstanding of the complex reality Israel is facing.” 

The revision comes long after the initial proposal to implement it, which was submitted by the foreign ministers of Ireland and Spain 15 months ago. While the humanitarian crisis was already alarming at the time, the current situation has reached an unprecedented level of severity, prompting a growing number of European countries to finally reevaluate their stance on the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, albeit far too late. It is noteworthy that the initiative for the review came from the Netherlands’ Prime Minister, traditionally considered a close ally of Israel. 

Humanitarian aid to Gaza has been blocked since March 2, resulting in a deliberate and controlled shortage of food and medicine. Although on May 20, in response to European pressure, the entry of 100 aid trucks was authorized, the trucks have remained stuck at the entrance to the Gaza Strip. As the United Nations has pointed out, the lack of essential resources could lead to the deaths of up to 14,000 children. U.N. Women has also highlighted that 28,000 women have been killed in Gaza by Israeli forces since the start of the war, an average of one every hour. Against this backdrop, an increasing number of European leaders are denouncing the situation in strong terms. “We must call this what it is. It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous, and I condemn it in the strongest possible terms,” said U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy in a speech to the House of Commons on May 20th, following the country’s decision to suspend negotiations on a free trade agreement with Israel. Moreover, 26 out of 27 E.U. member states have agreed to impose individual sanctions on Israeli settlers for acts of violence committed against Palestinians in the West Bank. The only country to oppose the measure was Hungary. 

The growing expression of dissent over Israeli policies raises the question of what future developments it may trigger, and whether it now possesses sufficient momentum to influence Israel’s conduct in Palestine. Israeli raids on civilians continue, while the potential suspension of the E.U.-Israel Association Agreement still requires unanimous approval from E.U. member states and a decision by the European Commission. However, if achieved, the suspension of the agreement could pave the way for the imposition of sanctions on Israel, potentially marking a first step toward a more assertive and consistent European response to violations of international law and human rights.