The EU is using the weight of its trade deal with Israel to demand a ceasefire, an end to violence and humanitarian access, the incoming Trade Commissioner has insisted.
For months, the Taoiseach has been asking – without success – for the European Commission to consider whether Israel is breaching the human rights clause of its trade deal with the EU.
His efforts have been supported by the Spanish Prime Minister, but other EU member states have blocked it.
Former Brexit chief, Maroš Šefčovič, has been nominated as the next EU trade commissioner. MEPs must decide if he is up to the job.
Facing scrutiny in the European Parliament this afternoon, Sinn Fein MEP, Lynn Boylan, shook a print out of the EU-Israel trade agreement and told him that in her view, Israel was clearly in breach.
Article 2 of that agreement states that both sides promise that “relations between the Parties [the EU and Israel], as well as all the provisions of the Agreement itself, shall be based on respect for human rights.”
She asked him directly: “Will you commit to upholding international law, will you commit to upholding EU trade trade and will you suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement?”
He would not commit to suspending the EU’s trade deal with Israel. But he insisted the EU is using the influence of the multi-billion euro agreement to talk tough with Israel.
“We see our association agreements and trade agreements as instruments, or better to say as a platform, which allows us to have very open, frank and tough conversation with our partners.”
“And I can tell you that we are using this platform for communicating to Israelis very clearly our position on the appalling situation in Gaza, on the need of humanitarian aid, on cessation of violence, on the ceasefire which is needed, and also on the need to have the two state solution to resolve permanently this tragic situation in Gaza and in the Middle East.”