Borrell proposes suspending EU-Israel political dialogue

The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell proposed to the 27 to suspend the “political dialogue” established between the European Union and Israel, we learned from diplomatic sources on Thursday.

Mr Borrell, who is due to leave office next month, made the proposal ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers on Monday in Brussels. This political dialogue is planned within the framework of the association agreement between Israel and the European Union, which entered into force in June 2000. This proposal from Mr. Borrell has very little chance of succeeding. It was transmitted on Wednesday to the ambassadors of the 27, meeting in Brussels, and several countries immediately expressed their opposition, including Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and even Hungary and the Czech Republic, according to a European diplomat.

Decisions on foreign policy require the unanimity of the 27. They agreed in May to request a meeting of the association council between Israel and the EU, to examine in particular the human rights situation in Gaza , but this meeting has still not taken place, due to lack of agreement on the agenda.

Relations with Israel deeply divide the 27. Some emphasize Israel’s right to defend itself, while others emphasize the need to end the fighting and the Palestinians’ rights to a state. Ireland and Spain thus decided in May to recognize a State of Palestine, while other European countries are more reluctant or consider that the moment is not appropriate.