EU foreign ministers on Tuesday rejected an initiative to suspend the bloc's association agreement with Israel after a debate that exposed deep divisions within the bloc over the Middle East, UNN reports with reference to Politico.
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Ahead of the April 21 meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg, Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia last week signed a letter to EU chief diplomat Kaja Kallas, accusing Israel of violating the agreement that underpins the bloc's relations with Israel.
But EU ministers ultimately refused to suspend the landmark treaty, with Germany and Italy playing a key role in blocking the proposal, the publication writes.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that suspending the agreement would be "inappropriate," instead advocating for "critical, constructive dialogue" with Israel. Austria supported this view, and Italy, which many considered a decisive voice at the meeting, followed suit, ultimately settling the matter.
"There are no quantitative or political conditions," Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said before the meeting, emphasizing Rome's support for Berlin.
Germany's and Italy's opposition to the proposal dashed the hopes of leaders in Madrid, Ljubljana, and Dublin, who had hoped that growing outrage over settler violence in the West Bank, as well as new legislation introducing death sentences for Palestinians, would prompt Brussels to act, the publication writes.
Since 2000, the EU-Israel Association Agreement has been the basis for political cooperation and trade relations between the two sides.
While a common EU position on Israel remains elusive, the critical tone at the foreign ministers' meeting reflects a significant shift in attitudes within the bloc, the publication writes.
"There is a very negative dynamic towards the Israeli government," Maya Sion-Tzidkiyahu of the Israeli think tank Mitvim Institute told the publication.
Nevertheless, she added, suspending the landmark agreement remains too radical a step.
"It's normative Europe versus geopolitical Europe," she said. "For now, the latter is winning."
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas confirmed this view, emphasizing that any changes would require unanimous support from all 27 member states.
"We certainly no longer have that on the table," she said.