EU chief Borrell plans to suspend the dialogue with Israel: what now?

EU chief Borrell plans to suspend the dialogue with Israel: what now?

Gaza, Palästinensische Gebiete - Brussels/Gaza-In a dramatic step, the EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell wants to expose the political dialogue with Israel! This decision follows the devastating reports on Israel's warfare in the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon, which is classified by independent international organizations as a violation of human rights and humanitarian international law. Borrell plans to present this proposal at the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the EU member states next Monday. But approval of this advance could prove to be difficult, since countries like Hungary and the Czech Republic are firmly on the side of Israel.

The political dialogue between the EU and Israel, regulated by an association agreement from 2000, provides for regular discussions on strengthening relationships. But Borrell's proposal to suspend dialogue does not mean the end of the agreement itself. Diplomats emphasize that this is only a suspension of the institutional dialogue. Borrell had already announced in October to discuss the brutal war strategies of Israel for discussion, and several EU countries have been demanding consequences for months. Spain and Ireland have already suggested to check the partnership agreement that also includes economic cooperation.

bloodshed in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon

In the meantime, violence continues to escalate: In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces have destroyed a Hamas rocket shot ramp in a humanitarian zone that was a direct threat to civilians. Explosions after the attack indicate that large amounts of ammunition were stored there. In addition, six Israeli soldiers were killed in the South Libanon during a change of shooting with Hezbollah terrorists. The Israeli army reported that the soldiers killed were between 19 and 22 years old, and the total number of the fallen soldiers has increased to 792 since the conflict began.

The conflict that started more than a year ago was triggered by the devastating rocket attacks by the Hisbollah, which supported Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed in Israel, further fueled the Situation. On the Palestinian side, tens of thousands of people have died in the current war, most of them. However, the exact numbers are difficult to check.