Amnesty International has called on the European Union to end its partnership agreement with Israel, saying Israeli policies in Palestine and Lebanon have crossed Europe’s stated red lines.
Eve Geddie, director of Amnesty International’s Office of European Institutions, said the EU had already concluded that Israel violated the human rights clause of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. She made the remarks to Anadolu Agency ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers scheduled for Tuesday, where possible sanctions on Israel are expected to be discussed.
The EU-Israel Association Agreement, signed in Brussels in 1995 and in force since 2000, serves as the main legal framework governing relations between the two sides. It promotes trade liberalization, political dialogue, and economic, scientific, and technological cooperation.
Crucially, Article Two states that relations between both parties must be based on respect for human rights and democratic principles.
Geddie pointed to a series of recent Israeli actions, including a law approving the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners and expanded military attacks in Lebanon, describing them as part of a broader pattern that includes genocide in Gaza and the continued occupation of the West Bank.
She also criticized European leaders who continue to support Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, saying such backing reflects a climate of impunity.
Instead, she said, the EU should stand with victims of Israeli violations and uphold the principles it claims to defend.
Meanwhile, pressure is growing from within Europe itself. Geddie said public opinion across the continent increasingly favors concrete action against Israel, with citizens demanding justice, accountability, and an end to impunity.
She noted that more than one million signatures were collected within three months through the EU’s European Citizens’ Initiative mechanism, which allows citizens to formally request policy review if enough verified signatures are gathered from at least seven member states.
Amnesty now plans campaigns targeting Germany and Italy, whose positions could be decisive because parts of the trade relationship could be suspended through a qualified majority vote.
At the same time, Geddie said positions inside Europe appear to be shifting. She described France as more open to reviewing or suspending aspects of the agreement following recent Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
She also cited growing civil society pressure in Germany for a reassessment of policy toward Israel, calling it a sign of increasing recognition of the seriousness of the situation.
In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced on April 14 the suspension of the automatic renewal of a defense cooperation agreement with Israel. The deal, originally signed in 2003 and enacted in 2005, had renewed every five years and covered military equipment exchanges, technological research, and training.
Geddie warned that if the EU continues to avoid action, the consequences could extend beyond the Israel file itself.
She said failure to enforce the human rights conditions written into the agreement would undermine the bloc’s legal commitments, weaken European unity, and damage the EU’s credibility on other international issues, including its support for Ukraine.
She added that continued inaction could further erode public trust in European institutions.
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