BRUSSELS

Members of the European Parliament urged the European Union on Tuesday to suspend its association agreement with Israel and impose targeted sanctions, citing grave violations of international law in the Gaza Strip.

The demands came during a plenary debate in France on the situation in the Middle East, ahead of an upcoming EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on July 15, where the EU-Israel Association Agreement will be on the agenda.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas faced criticism from lawmakers for her absence from the debate, despite being the main figure expected to represent the Commission on the issue.

Speaking on behalf of the EU Council, Denmark's European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre reiterated the bloc's commitment to peace and stability in the region, and said the EU welcomed the recent halt in hostilities between Israel and Iran. She stressed the importance of humanitarian access in Gaza and reaffirmed support for a two-state solution.

EU Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra emphasized the bloc’s concerns about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Iran's nuclear program.

He noted that the EU has been urging Israel to implement "concrete, precise and tangible changes" to allow humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians, but admitted that current measures remain insufficient.

"There's no other way to phrase the total collapse of humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip is imminent if fuel is not urgently allowed to enter," Hoekstra said, adding that the situation will be re-evaluated during the July 15 meeting.

Slovak MEP Lubos Blaha accused Israel of committing a "21st-century genocide" in Gaza and slammed the EU's double standards. "There are sanctions against Russia, but with regard to Israelis, nothing is being said, not a single word. Nothing has been done," he said.

French MEP Mounir Satouri echoed concerns of complicity, citing "evidence of genocide, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing" while calling out EU member states for failing to act. "We could stop (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and his murderous actions, we need to wake up ... history will judge you."

The EU-Israel Association Agreement took effect in 2000. It forms the basis of bilateral trade and political dialogue. The suspension of the agreement, which requires unanimous approval from all 27 member states, is expected to face opposition from Germany, Czechia and Hungary, making it unlikely despite growing pressure and internal divisions.