Amnesty International: E.U. reluctance to suspend cooperation with Israel is a ‘cruel and unlawful betrayal’

TEHRAN (Iran News) Agnes Callamard, the secretary general at Amnesty International, said that the European Union’s failure to suspend its cooperation agreement with the Israeli regime is a “cruel and unlawful betrayal” of the Palestinian nation, according to Amnesty International’s official website.

“The EU’s refusal to suspend its agreement with Israel is a cruel and unlawful betrayal of the European project and vision, predicated on upholding international law and fighting authoritarian practices, of the European Union’s own rules and of the human rights of Palestinians,” Callamard said.

She further pointed out the union’s collusion in Israeli crimes against Palestinians, saying, “The E.U.’s own review has clearly found that Israel is violating its human rights obligations under the terms of the Association Agreement. Yet, instead of taking measures to stop it and prevent their own complicity, member states chose to maintain a preferential trade deal over respecting their international obligations and saving Palestinian lives.”

On Tuesday, the foreign ministers of the European Union met in Brussels to discuss suspending collaboration with the regime and imposing sanctions; however, the proposed measures, including suspending the trade agreement, arms embargo, or restrictions on visa issuance, were dismissed.

The secretary general also said, “European leaders had the opportunity to take a principled stand against Israel’s crimes, but instead gave it a green light to continue its genocide in Gaza, its unlawful occupation of the whole Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and its system of apartheid against Palestinians.”

The European Union’s cooperation agreement with the Israeli regime has been in force since 2000. This agreement forms the main framework for political, economic, and cultural cooperation between the two sides.

It is worth mentioning that despite the union’s recent decision to continue cooperation with the Israeli regime, several European states, including Ireland, Spain, Belgium, and Slovenia, have called for the suspension or immediate review of this agreement over the past months.