Watan-Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Thursday that the Gaza Strip is witnessing a “genocide” and called on the European Union to immediately suspend its cooperation agreement with Israel.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels on the sidelines of a European Council meeting, Sánchez stated:“The catastrophic situation of genocide is unfolding in Gaza,”
following the presentation of an EU diplomatic services report on the humanitarian conditions in the territory.
In light of the report, Sánchez declared:“Europe must suspend its cooperation agreement with Israel—and it must do so immediately.”
These remarks mark Sánchez’s strongest condemnation to date, reflecting his long-standing opposition to the Israeli war on Gaza, which erupted after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
The report, published last week, concluded that there are “indications” that Israel is violating its human rights obligations under the agreement, which serves as the foundation for EU-Israel trade relations.
It cited:
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Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid
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High civilian casualties
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Targeted attacks on journalists
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Mass displacement
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Widespread destruction
Sánchez added:“It is very clear that Israel is violating its obligations, and therefore the European Union must immediately suspend the cooperation agreement.”
He further criticized the EU’s inconsistent foreign policy, saying:“It is irrational for the EU to impose 18 rounds of sanctions on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine while applying double standards by not even suspending its cooperation agreement with Israel.”
However, suspending the agreement requires unanimous approval from all EU member states—a decision that diplomats say is nearly impossible due to deep divisions within the bloc.
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