Amid growing humanitarian alarm, EU announces review of trade privileges to Israel

ISTANBUL

The EU will launch a review of its granting trade privileges to Israel amid mounting concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the bloc's foreign policy chief announced Tuesday.

"It is clear from today's discussion that there is a strong majority in favor of review of Article Two of our Association Agreement with Israel. So we will launch this exercise," Kaja Kallas told a press conference after an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.

"In the meantime, it is up to Israel to unblock the humanitarian aid. Saving lives must be our top priority," she added.

Kallas described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as "catastrophic" and said EU-funded aid was being blocked at the borders.

"The aid that Israel has allowed in is, of course, welcome, but it's a drop in the ocean. Aid must flow immediately, without obstruction and at scale, because this is what is needed," she added.

She stressed that "there are thousands of trucks" stuck at the borders and that "the 100 trucks that came in, it's a welcome step, but it's not enough, because the needs are much, much bigger."

Kallas said that the decision to review the agreement signals strong political intent from EU member states.

"I will not say (exact) numbers, and I will not say member states, but I can say it was a huge majority for this."

Separately, on Syria, Kallas confirmed the EU decision to lift all economic sanctions unrelated to the ousted Assad regime or human rights violations.

"Is everything going very well (under the new Syrian administration)? No, it's not. But I think the question that we have two choices, either we give, you know, Syrian people a chance ... or we don't give that opportunity," she said.

Touching on Ukraine, Kallas said the EU had adopted a new sanctions package targeting Russia, including its shadow fleet skirting sanctions, and stressed the bloc is already working on another package.

"The only option is to put more pressure on Russia to negotiate seriously," she said.

On energy-related sanctions, she noted, "The oil price cap is clearly something that has a clear effect on Russia's economy," adding that "Russia's national fund ... is almost completely depleted."