EU ministers to discuss suspending dialogue with Israel

EU foreign ministers are to debate a proposal by the bloc's top diplomat to suspend diplomatic dialogue with Israel. The proposal seems unlikely to be accepted.

European Union foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday are set to discuss pausing the bloc's diplomatic dialogue with Israel, as proposed by foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Ahead of the meeting, Borrell said such a move would aim to put pressure on the Israeli government after it had ignored several pleas to adhere to international law in the war in the Gaza Strip.

"Many people tried to stop the war in Gaza ... this has not happened yet. And I don't see a hope for this to happen. That's why we have to put pressure on the Israeli government, and also, obviously on the Hamas side," Borrell told journalists ahead of the talks.

The proposal, considered as Borrell's parting shot before he leaves office, is widely seen as being unlikely to be accepted by the ministers, who would need to be unanimous in their decision.

Resistance to proposal

Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp has already said he disagrees with the proposal, saying the EU needed to remain in dialogue with Israel amid the wider tensions in the Middle East.

Germany has also already stated its opposition while Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic have so far clearly taken Israel's side.

The EU's political dialogue with Israel is covered by the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which provides for regular exchanges to strengthen the partnership.

It also, however, states that relations between the sides are based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, which Borrell has said may not have been adhered to by Israel.

Spain and Ireland have also suggested that the agreement with Israel be reviewed.

But EU diplomats have stressed that suspending the institutional political dialogue does not mean suspending the agreement or the Association Council, which is in charge of relations between the two parties.

Proposed import ban

Borrell also wants to introduce a ban on the import of products from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The settlements are illegal under international law.

The agenda for Monday's meeting is also expected to include the approval of new sanctions on Iran for supplying Russia with ballistic missiles to use in the Ukraine war.

Borrell also said ahead of the meeting that he hoped EU members would agree to allow Kyiv to strike inside Russia with the arms the bloc has provided. 

"I've been saying once and again that Ukraine should be able to use the arms we provided to them, in order to not only stop the arrows but also to be able to hit the archers," Borrell said. 

His comment comes amid reports that US President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use US-supplied missiles to strike deeper inside Russia, in possible response to the deployment by Moscow of thousands of North Korean troops in its war against its neighbor.

tj/lo (Reuters, dpa)