Overview

• EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told ministers there are indications Israel’s Gaza operations violate Article 2 human rights provisions under the Association Agreement.
• A Netherlands-led review won backing from 17 member states seeking to hold Israel accountable for civilian harm in Gaza.
• Proposals under consideration include pausing tariff-free trade, suspending visa exemptions and halting academic collaboration through qualified or unanimous votes.
• Germany opposes any partial or full suspension, citing its special responsibility to Israel and the requirement for bloc-wide consensus.
• With €27 billion in annual EU imports to Israel representing a third of its trade, Brussels holds significant economic leverage to pressure policy changes in response to the Gaza humanitarian crisis.