The EU's foreign policy head Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday that the EU hopes to review the cooperation agreement with Israel.
According to Karas, the “majority” at the Brussels Foreign Ministers' meeting expressed favors the review of whether Israel still adheres to the basic principles of the EU-Israel Association agreement. This includes the relationship between the parties to the agreement based on respect for human rights.
The Netherlands is one of several countries that accused Israel of violating this fundamental principle.
The background is that since early March, Israel has barely allowed about 2 million Palestinians to live in the Gaza Strip. Israel said the Palestinian Islamic Hamas Group benefited from aid supplies, which justified its actions.
Restoring aid delivery to Gaza “dropped in the ocean”
“The situation in Gaza is disastrous,” Karas said in Brussels. She said that Israel's recent aid supplies that allow return to the region have been welcomed, but they are just a drop in the ocean.
Before Israel complies with the agreement, the Netherlands said it would disagree with the currently planned two-year EU-Israel action plan.
The EU said the plan promoted the integration of Israel into European policies and programs and was the basis for continued cooperation between the two parties.
After a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels on Tuesday, Karas said there was no timetable for the agreed review. She said that while the process is underway, it is hoped that Israel will end the lockdown on aid delivery.
Intensive discussions of the partnership agreement with Israel have been held on initiatives in Spain and Ireland last year.
Israel criticizes EU actions
Israel rejected the EU's move, warning that it could complicate efforts to cease fire in Gaza. Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein said the growing international criticism of Israel would only incite Hamas to carry out ongoing negotiations.
“Unfortunately, the statement overlooks both the U.S. initiative to transfer aid without reaching Hamas, and Israel's recent decision to promote aid into Gaza,” Marmorstein added.
The compliment for the so-called “long-term overdue and necessary steps” comes from the Foreign Ministry of the Palestinian Authority led by Fatah, which repeatedly accused Israel of serious human rights violations in the Palestinian territory.
