EU's refusal to suspend trade pact with Israel is 'cruel and unlawful betrayal': Amnesty International
'This will be remembered as one of most disgraceful moments in the EU's history,' says head of human rights group
BRUSSELS
Amnesty International on Tuesday condemned the European Union's decision not to suspend its preferential trade deal with Israel, slamming it as a "cruel and unlawful betrayal" of international law and Palestinian human rights.
"The EU's refusal to suspend its (Association) Agreement with Israel is a cruel and unlawful betrayal – of the European project and vision, predicated on upholding international law and fighting authoritarian practices, of the European Union's own rules and of the human rights of Palestinians," Agnes Callamard, Amnesty’s secretary general, said in a written statement.
On Tuesday, EU foreign ministers met in Brussels to consider suspending the agreement or adopting sanctions. However, none of the proposed measures, including trade suspension, arms embargo, or visa restrictions, got enough support to be adopted.
Callamard accused European leaders of missing a critical chance to take a firm stance against Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, its unlawful occupation of Palestinian territories, and the maintenance of a "system of apartheid" against Palestinians.
"This will be remembered as one of the most disgraceful moments in the EU's history," she added.
She said that despite an EU review confirming Israel's violations of human rights under the terms of the Association Agreement, member states chose "to maintain a preferential trade deal rather than respect their international obligations and save Palestinian lives."
"This is more than political cowardice," Callamard stated. "Every time the EU fails to act, the risk of complicity in Israel’s actions grows. This sends an extremely dangerous message to perpetrators of atrocity crimes that they will not only go unpunished but be rewarded."
She urged EU member states to take immediate unilateral action by suspending all forms of cooperation with Israel that contribute to violations of international law. This includes imposing a comprehensive embargo on arms, surveillance equipment, related technologies, and banning trade and investments linked to Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.
