Brussels: Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called the situation in the Gaza Strip a "catastrophic stage of genocide," urging the European Union to "immediately" suspend its cooperation agreement with Israel.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Sanchez addressed reporters before the EU summit in Brussels, highlighting a recent EU Commission report that discussed the dire situation in Gaza. The Spanish Prime Minister criticized the EU's inconsistent approach, pointing out that while the EU has imposed numerous sanctions on Russia over Ukraine, it has yet to suspend its association agreement with Israel. Sanchez called on EU member states to align with European values and human rights by suspending cooperation with Israel, stating that inaction in the face of the crisis in Gaza is unacceptable.
The EU Foreign Affairs Council had previously considered a review of Israel's compliance with Article 2 of the Association Agreement, which mandates respect for human rights. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, presented findings to EU foreign ministers, indicating potential violations by Israel.
Following what was described as the Council's inaction, countries like Spain and Belgium urged Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas to communicate their concerns to Israel and propose measures by July.