Politico: EU considers measures against Israel over Gaza situation

The European Union is reportedly considering suspending its association agreement with Israel in response to the ongoing situation in Gaza, according to Politico.

A draft document prepared by the European External Action Service discusses possible actions, including the full suspension of the agreement that governs, among other things, trade and economic cooperation between the EU and Israel.

Among the options under consideration is a partial suspension of the agreement, such as halting political dialogue with the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This would require unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states.

At the same time, suspending the trade aspects of the agreement—which would revoke preferential treatment for Israeli goods in the European market—could be adopted by a qualified majority vote in the EU Council, making this scenario more likely, Politico notes.

Additional measures under review include restricting Israel’s participation in European scientific and educational programs such as Erasmus, as well as limiting technical cooperation.