EU refusal to suspend Israel agreement a ‘cruel and unlawful betrayal': Amnesty chief
Agnes Callamard's statement came after the bloc decided against suspending the agreement, dashing hopes that the EU would take a unified stand against Israel's war in Gaza and its illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories.
'The EU's refusal to suspend its 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,' she said.
'European leaders had the opportunity to take a principled stand against Israel's crimes, but instead gave it a greenlight to continue its genocide in Gaza, its unlawful occupation of the whole Occupied Palestinian Territory and its system of apartheid against Palestinians.'
EU foreign ministers met in Brussels on Tuesday to review 10 options for potentially suspending the agreement, in full or in part.
These included a full suspension, a pause on preferential trade and research, a weapons embargo, sanctions on Israeli ministers, and ending visa-free travel for Israeli citizens to Europe. However, ministers opted against taking any of the options.
Callamard said: 'The EU's own review has clearly found that Israel is violating its human rights obligations under the terms of the association agreement.
'Yet, instead of taking measures to stop it and prevent their own complicity, member states chose to maintain a preferential trade deal over respecting their international obligations and saving Palestinian lives.
'This is more than political cowardice. 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.'
Amnesty International, in a statement after the EU decision, highlighted the precedence of international law over EU and national law.
Last July, the International Court of Justice described Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories as illegal.
EU members must take measures to act based on that opinion under international law, Amnesty said.
'Victims are entitled to far more than empty words,' Callamard said. 'Member states must now take matters into their own hands and unilaterally suspend all forms of cooperation with Israel that may contribute to its grave violations of international law, including a comprehensive embargo on the export of arms and surveillance equipment and related technology, and a total ban on trade with and investment in Israel's illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
42 minutes ago
- Arab News
Pakistan, EU renew GSP+ commitment, discuss counterterror cooperation, Middle East peace efforts
ISLAMABAD: Senior officials from Islamabad and the European Union on Thursday resolved to continue their engagement under the Generalized Scheme of Preference Plus (GSP+) framework, discussing counterterror collaboration and peace efforts in Gaza, Pakistan's foreign office said. Europe's GSP+ scheme grants beneficiary countries' exports duty-free access to the European market in exchange for voluntarily agreeing to implement 27 international core conventions, including those on human and civil rights. In October 2023, the EU unanimously voted to extend GSP+ status until 2027 for developing countries, including Pakistan. Olof Skoog, the deputy secretary general of the European External Action Service and Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch led the delegations from both sides, as they held the 10th Political Dialogue in Brussels on Thursday. 'The two sides reiterated their resolve to continue close engagement under the GSP+ framework,' Pakistan's foreign office said. 'They acknowledged the meaningful cooperation on various aspects of migration, aiming to hold the third Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Dialogue later in 2025.' The statement said both sides also discussed views on regional and global issues, stressing the importance of multifaceted cooperation on security matters, including counterterrorism and counter-narcotics. Both delegations condemned all forms of 'terrorism,' the foreign office said. Brussels and Islamabad discussed the Ukraine conflict and the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan as well, pushing for dialogue. 'Both sides agreed on the need for efforts based on dialogue and diplomacy in order to solve contentious issues and underscored the importance of upholding international law and the sanctity of international agreements/treaties,' it added. The two sides also exchanged views on the evolving situation in the Middle East, where Israel has killed over 57,000 Palestinians in Gaza in military operations since October 2023. 'They agreed on the urgent need to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza,' the statement said. 'Both sides called for the resumption of a ceasefire, and expressed support for initiatives that contribute to a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in Palestine in accordance with the two-state solution.' Islamabad considers EU a vital trading partner. Pakistan has become the largest beneficiary of the GSP+ trade scheme in recent years, with its businesses increasing their exports to the EU market by 108 percent since the trade scheme was launched in 2014.
Arab News
42 minutes ago
- Arab News
Britain seeks German help against people smuggling gangs on landmark Merz visit
LONDON: Britain sought a firm commitment Thursday from Germany to change its law to help smash people smuggling gangs, as the two countries agreed to boost defense ties on the first official UK visit by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The trip comes a week after undocumented migrants also topped the political agenda during a state visit to Britain by French President Emmanuel Macron. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Merz signed the first ever 'friendship treaty' between their countries at London's Victoria and Albert Museum before heading for talks at the PM's Downing Street office. Merz said London and Berlin had agreed an exchange program for German and British students. Speaking in German, he said he believed allowing the 'young generation' to get to know each other and their respective countries was a 'good basis for the further development of our relations.' The two leaders were also expected to unveil a deal to jointly produce military goods such as Boxer armored vehicles and Typhoon jets, which could lead to 'billions of pounds of additional defense exports,' Downing Street said. They were to commit to developing a precision strike missile with a range of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) in the next decade. 'Chancellor Merz's commitment to make necessary changes to German law to disrupt the supply lines of the dangerous vessels which carry illegal migrants across the Channel is hugely welcome,' Starmer said ahead of the talks. His office said it was hoped the German legal changes could be made 'this year.' Undocumented migration has become a major headache for Starmer's year-old Labour government, as support for the upstart anti-immigrant Reform UK party soars. More than 22,500 would-be asylum seekers have arrived on England's southeastern coast by small boat from northern France this year alone. The 'friendship treaty' also seeks to improve post-Brexit ties with its neighbors. Macron's trip in early July was the first state visit to the country by a European Union head of state since Brexit — the UK's acrimonious 2020 departure from the bloc. A German government source said 'we shouldn't underestimate' how much relations with the UK had improved since the 'traumatic' experience of Brexit. The friendship deal would be a 'foundation on which we go further to tackle shared problems,' Starmer said. The two leaders were also to discuss continued support for Ukraine, with both countries expected to play a role in US President Donald Trump's plan to send weapons to Kyiv with financing from other NATO countries. The visit is Merz's first to the UK as chancellor, although he has already met Starmer several times, including on a trip by train to Ukraine just days after he took office in early May. The wide-ranging treaty will refer to the turbulent security situation faced by both countries, and include a mutual defense pact. 'There is no strategic threat to one which would not be a strategic threat to the other,' pact says, with a pledge the two countries 'shall assist one another, including by military means, in case of an armed attack.' While Britain and Germany already have a commitment to mutual defense as NATO members, the treaty aims to pave the way for greater defense cooperation, including operations on NATO's eastern flank. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul accompanied Merz, meeting with his British counterpart, David Lammy. On migration, Merz's government is expected to make a commitment to modify German law by the end of the year to criminalize the facilitation of 'illegal migration.' This will include action against storage facilities used by migrant smugglers to conceal small boats intended for Channel crossings. The two countries will also commit to improving train connections. Last month Eurostar said it planned to launch a new route from London to Frankfurt in the early 2030s — the first such direct connection between the UK and Germany.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
US ‘moving at haste' to get Ukraine weapons under Trump plan: Envoy
The United States is moving to get weapons to Ukraine quickly under President Donald Trump's plan for Europe to buy arms, and is weighing selling Patriot air defense systems from its own stocks, Washington's envoy to NATO said Thursday. 'We are all moving with haste to facilitate this and get this done, and, you know, I think things are actually moving very quickly,' US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told journalists. 'But I can't verify a date that this will all be completed.' Trump on Monday announced a deal with NATO chief Mark Rutte for European NATO states to buy US weaponry – particularly advanced Patriot systems – and give it to Kyiv. The move marked a pivot for the US leader as his patience has worn thin with Russia's President Vladimir Putin for frustrating efforts to halt the war in Ukraine. European countries – including Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden – have expressed willingness to buy the weaponry for Kyiv. But questions have been raised over where the systems will come from and how soon they can get to Ukraine as the war-torn country faces unprecedented Russian bombardments. Whitaker said that there was an 'ongoing conversation' about whether the United States would sell Patriots already available in its own military stockpiles. 'We're never going to put the United States at a strategic disadvantage, and we're going to make sure that we have everything we need,' he said. 'At the same time, I think we all acknowledge the desperate requirements that Ukraine currently, immediately needs on the battlefield and to protect their cities.' Other options mooted include European countries sending their systems to Kyiv now, and being able to purchase replacements as a priority from the United States. The deal comes as US allies nervously monitor a US review of its force deployments around the world. Washington has warned it could look to shift forces and weaponry away from Europe to focus more on China. Whitaker said the United States was in 'daily conversations' with allies about the process ahead of possible announcements in coming months. 'We've agreed to no surprises and no gaps in the strategic framework of Europe,' he said. 'I don't think there's a lot of anxiety. I think there's just a lot of desire to know our plan is so that there can be other planning.'
