EU member states remain divided over whether to suspend a pact governing the European Union's relationship with Israel. Spain, Ireland, and Slovenia have pushed for a part suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement, though the proposal has not yet received enough backing from other member states to take effect.
The push for suspension is driven by hardening attitudes toward Israel's conduct in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and the occupied West Bank. In a letter to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, three governments asserted that Israel is violating human rights, specifically citing the plight of Gaza and violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.
Kaja Kallas stated that proposals for a part suspension remain on the table but require member states to shift their positions. Following a meeting between EU foreign ministers on Tuesday, Kallas noted that while the necessary shift in positions was not seen, discussions on the matter will continue.