Latest news with #EU-IsraelAssociationCouncil
Al Jazeera
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
On a pause from genocide, Israel turns its focus to ethnic cleansing
On Sunday, February 23, Israel deployed tanks in the occupied West Bank for the first time in more than two decades. It was the latest in a series of bellicose stunts that escalated in January, in tandem with the implementation of the tenuous ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. Of course, the inherently long-term nature of Israel's genocidal policy in Gaza means that any ceasefire is inevitably temporary. In the 15-month assault on the Palestinian enclave that began in October 2023, the Israeli military officially killed at least 48,365 Palestinians, the majority of them women and children – although the true death toll is undoubtedly far higher. Most of Gaza's inhabitants were displaced by the Israeli onslaught, many of them more than once. Now, The Times of Israel reports that more than 40,100 Palestinians in West Bank refugee camps like Jenin have 'fled their homes' since January 21, which is 'allegedly the largest displacement in the territory since the Six Day War in 1967'. And on Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the army to prepare for an 'extended presence in the cleared camps for the next year, and not to allow the return of residents'. Anyway, there's nothing like ethnic cleansing to pave the way for annexation, the chief fantasy of the Israeli right wing. The thoroughly illegal scheme may also soon be receiving an explicit endorsement from United States President Donald Trump, who remarked in early February: 'People do like the idea, but we haven't taken a position on it yet.' On Monday – one day after Israel's deployment of tanks in the West Bank and Katz's de facto ethnic cleansing announcement – the European Union and Israel held the 13th meeting in Brussels of the EU-Israel Association Council, attended by representatives of all 27 EU states and co-chaired by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar. In theory, the meeting would have been a timely opportunity to call Israel out on mass forced displacement and ongoing slaughter in the West Bank – not to mention, you know, genocide in Gaza. Three days prior to the Brussels rendezvous, Israeli forces fatally shot two Palestinian children in the back near Jenin and Hebron, respectively. Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement specifies that 'relations between the Parties, as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles.' And it was this article that was invoked in February 2024 by the leaders of Spain and Ireland, who called for a review of whether Israel was violating the agreement's human rights obligations. But at Monday's meeting with Sa'ar, it was clear that the EU – Israel's largest trading partner – was more concerned with preserving its association with a country guilty of all manner of war crimes and crimes against humanity. In the official pre-meeting 'note' regarding the EU position, the General Secretariat of the EU-Israel Association Council started by emphasizing that 'the EU attaches great significance to its close relations with the State of Israel.' A lot more kissing of Israel's backside ensues throughout the remainder of the 28-page PDF document, with the EU alternately expressing 'its full solidarity and support to Israel and its people' and identifying Israel as a 'key partner for cooperation' in numerous areas. The note underscores how much the EU 'looks forward' to working with Israel to 'address global challenges' as well as to 'accelerate the world shift to a secure and just food system' – a pretty rich task to assign the folks who were just using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza. This is not to say that the Europeans have not managed a single critique of Israel in 28 pages. The note takes care to mention that 'the EU deeply deplores the unacceptable number of civilians, especially women and children, who have lost their lives' in Gaza; that 'the EU recalls that annexation is illegal under international law'; and that 'the EU remains gravely concerned about the extensive recourse by Israel to indiscriminate arrests and administrative detention without formal charge.' But any substantive condemnation is ultimately drowned out by the fact that Europe is just so darn excited to cooperate with Israel, now and forevermore. The statement also informs us that 'the EU is gravely concerned that the occupation of the Palestinian territory that began in 1967 continues to this day,' and repeatedly reiterates support for a two-state solution. And yet it's anyone's guess how, exactly, an end to occupation is supposed to come about, when the state that's not only doing the occupying but also endeavouring to disappear the Palestinian people is being hailed as an awesome regional partner. Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar defended Israel's current campaign of forced displacement in the West Bank, which has entailed widespread killing by the army and illegal settlers as well as house demolitions: 'It's military operations taking place there against terrorists, and no other objectives but that.' To be sure, the good old anti-terror excuse never fails to justify Israel's perpetual terrorisation of Palestinians. At the start of Israel's West Bank escalation in January, Defense Minister Katz also trotted out the T-word to explain how Israel was now applying 'the first lesson from the method of repeated raids in Gaza' by subjecting Jenin to 'a powerful operation to eliminate terrorists and terror infrastructure in the camp, ensuring that terrorism does not return to the camp after the operation is over'. Indeed, Israel's West Bank operations are but an extension of the genocidal approach to Gaza, with mass slaughter and displacement transpiring with full US and European complicity – minus the intermittent lip service paid to Palestinian rights. It remains to be seen whether Trump will now propose a 'Dead Sea Riviera' in the West Bank to rival his vision of the ' Riviera of the Middle East ', which will supposedly spring forth from the ruins of the Gaza Strip once the US wrests control of the territory and expels the native population. In the meantime, Israel's crimes against humanity will continue to be normalised by the country's 'key partners for cooperation' across the globe, while genocide is increasingly relegated to the realm of non-news. And that, frankly, is a crime against humanity itself.
Shafaq News
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Israeli FM: Jihadi group seized power in Syria
Shafaq News/ Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa'ar, described Syria's new leadership as a 'jihadi terrorist group', during a meeting with European Union foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday as part of the EU-Israel Association Council. During the 13 th session of the council, Sa'ar stated, 'Everyone knows who [Syrian transitional president] Ahmed Al-Sharaa is. They are taking revenge on the Alawites and harming the Kurds. We will not compromise on our border security.' He also claimed that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad were operating in Syria to establish another front against Israel. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said that Israel would not tolerate the presence of Syrian government forces in southern Syria, calling for 'complete demilitarization' of the area, declaring that Israeli forces would remain in Syria to protect settlements and prevent militant infiltration. He also warned against threats to the Druze community in southern Syria, prompting protests in Sweida, where demonstrators condemned his remarks. In December 2024, Israel's government has approved plans to expand settlements in the occupied Golan Heights, citing security concerns following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Israeli forces moved into a UN buffer zone, declaring previous ceasefire arrangements void.
Saudi Gazette
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Israel denies entry to two EU lawmakers
TEL AVIV — Israel barred two MEPs from entering the country on Monday, accusing one of them of advocating boycotts against Boylan (Sinn Féin-The Left), head of the European Parliament's EU-Palestine delegation, and Rima Hassan (La France Insoumise-The Left) were stopped at Ben-Gurion Airport and sent back to Minister Moshe Arbel justified the decision by claiming that French politician Hassan had 'consistently worked to promote boycotts against Israel in addition to numerous public statements both on social media and in media interviews'.No specific reason was provided for Boylan's stated she had planned to meet Palestinian Authority officials, civil society representatives, and residents living under Israeli occupation. She condemned the refusal to admit her to the country.'This utter contempt from Israel is the result of the international community failing to hold them to account,' Boylan said. 'Israel is a rogue state, and this disgraceful move shows the level of utter disregard that they have for international law.""Europe must now hold Israel to account."Last Friday, The Left group called for the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, citing the International Court of Justice's investigation into crimes against Palestinians in MEPs' expulsion follows recently passed Israeli legislation that prohibits entry for individuals who have denied Hamas' attack on 7 October 2023 or supported international prosecution of Israeli law, which applies to non-citizens and non-residents, builds on existing legislation that prohibits entry to individuals advocating boycotts against Israel. It also applies to those who deny the in Israel and abroad say the original law was designed to suppress dissent. It has previously been used to refuse entry to activists supporting the Palestinian-led movement known as Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, or BDS supporters compare their campaign to the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, Israel claims the movement seeks to undermine its legitimacy as a state and that some of its leaders are antisemitic — an accusation BDS organizers urged demonstrators to rally outside the European Union headquarters, where a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council took place on Foreign Minister Gideon Saar was on a diplomatic visit to Brussels for the EU-Israel Association Council. The council does not meet frequently, and Monday's meeting was called amid pressure from Spain and Ireland to suspend the forum over Israel's actions in Gaza. Saar met with several European leaders in earlier on Monday, Saar defended Israel's stance on criticism from European leaders. 'It's OK as long as the criticism is not connected to the delegitimization, demonization or double standards, which from time to time are things we see in the attacks against Israel,' he said. — Euronews
Euronews
25-02-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Israel denies entry to two EU lawmakers, accusing one of supporting boycotts
Israel barred two MEPs from entering the country on Monday, accusing one of them of advocating boycotts against Israel. Lynn Boylan (Sinn Féin-The Left), head of the European Parliament's EU-Palestine delegation, and Rima Hassan (La France Insoumise-The Left) were stopped at Ben-Gurion Airport and sent back to Europe. Interior Minister Moshe Arbel justified the decision by claiming that French politician Hassan had 'consistently worked to promote boycotts against Israel in addition to numerous public statements both on social media and in media interviews'. No specific reason was provided for Boylan's expulsion. Boylan stated she had planned to meet Palestinian Authority officials, civil society representatives, and residents living under Israeli occupation. She condemned the refusal to admit her to the country. 'This utter contempt from Israel is the result of the international community failing to hold them to account,' Boylan said. 'Israel is a rogue state, and this disgraceful move shows the level of utter disregard that they have for international law." "Europe must now hold Israel to account." Last Friday, The Left group called for the immediate suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, citing the International Court of Justice's investigation into crimes against Palestinians in Gaza. New law imposes travel bans The MEPs' expulsion follows recently passed Israeli legislation that prohibits entry for individuals who have denied Hamas' attack on 7 October 2023 or supported international prosecution of Israeli soldiers. The law, which applies to non-citizens and non-residents, builds on existing legislation that prohibits entry to individuals advocating boycotts against Israel. It also applies to those who deny the Holocaust. Critics in Israel and abroad say the original law was designed to suppress dissent. It has previously been used to refuse entry to activists supporting the Palestinian-led movement known as Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, or BDS. While BDS supporters compare their campaign to the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, Israel claims the movement seeks to undermine its legitimacy as a state and that some of its leaders are antisemitic — an accusation BDS organisers deny. Hassan urged demonstrators to rally outside the European Union headquarters, where a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council took place on Monday. Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar was on a diplomatic visit to Brussels for the EU-Israel Association Council. The council does not meet frequently, and Monday's meeting was called amid pressure from Spain and Ireland to suspend the forum over Israel's actions in Gaza. Saar met with several European leaders in Brussels. Speaking earlier on Monday, Saar defended Israel's stance on criticism from European leaders. 'It's OK as long as the criticism is not connected to the delegitimisation, demonisation or double standards, which from time to time are things we see in the attacks against Israel,' he said.
Express Tribune
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Israel holds talks in Brussels on Gaza reconstruction, EU's role
Saar will co-chair a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in the first such session since 2022. PHOTO: AFP Listen to article Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called for a constructive dialogue but braced for criticism from some European countries as he arrived for talks on Monday in Brussels. The Israeli minister is meeting senior European officials, reviving a dialogue with the European Union as the bloc considers a role in the reconstruction of Gaza following last month's fragile ceasefire deal. 'I'm looking for a constructive dialogue, an open and honest one, and I believe that this is what it will be,' Saar told reporters on arrival. 'We know how to face criticism,' he said, adding 'it's okay as long as criticism is not connected to delegitimisation, demonisation, or double standards … but we are ready to discuss everything with an open mind'. Saar will co-chair a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas in the first such session since 2022. Talks are set to focus on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Israeli-Palestinian relations and changing regional dynamics. The Israeli foreign minister said that within the EU 'there are very friendly countries, there are less friendly countries', but that Monday's meeting showed a willingness to renew normal relations. The Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel's response, exposed sharp divisions within the EU. While all members condemned the Hamas attacks, some staunchly defended Israel's war in Gaza as others condemned Israel's military campaign and its toll on civilians. Compromise In February 2024, the leaders of Spain and Ireland sent a letter to the European Commission asking for a review of whether Israel was complying with its human rights obligations under the 2000 EU-Israel Association Agreement, which provides the basis for political and economic cooperation between the two sides. But ahead of Monday's meeting, the bloc's 27 member countries negotiated a compromise position that praises areas of cooperation with Israel while also raising concerns. At the meeting, the EU will emphasize both Europe's commitment to Israel's security and its view that 'displaced Gazans should be ensured a safe and dignified return to their homes in Gaza', according to a draft document seen by Reuters. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump shocked Arab nations and Western allies by proposing the United States 'take over' Gaza, permanently displacing its Palestinian inhabitants and creating the 'Riviera of the Middle East'. The Israeli retaliatory offensive has killed at least 48,000 people, Palestinian health authorities say, leaving some hundreds of thousands of people in makeshift shelters and dependent on aid trucks.
