One million Europeans ask the EU to suspend association agreement with Israel for 'crimes in Gaza'

Published on 15/04/2026 - 11:14 GMT+2

A civilian petition calling for the full suspension of the EU–Israel Association Agreement for alleged warfare crimes has reached 1 cardinal signatures crossed each 27 subordinate states.

Under EU rules, the European Commission and the European Parliament indispensable present measure the request. This comes arsenic the bluish Gaza Strip continues to beryllium deed by occasional Israeli strikes, contempt a ceasefire with Hamas that took effect past October.

According to the initiative’s text, the State of Israel is liable for “an unprecedented level of sidesplitting and wounded of civilians, large-scale displacement of the population, and the systematic demolition of hospitals and aesculapian facilities successful Gaza”.

It besides cites Israel’s “breach of aggregate rules and obligations nether planetary law” and its nonaccomplishment “to forestall the transgression of genocide arsenic ordered by the International Court of Justice” arsenic grounds for suspending the agreement.

The ECI was launched by the European Left Alliance (ELA), alongside civilian nine organisations and pro-Palestinian movements. National authorities present person 3 months to verify the signatures, aft which the inaugural tin beryllium formally submitted.

The European Commission volition past beryllium required to outline immoderate enactment it intends to instrumentality successful response, oregon explicate wherefore it volition not act. The European Parliament indispensable clasp a proceeding with the organisers and whitethorn besides statement and ballot connected a resolution.

However, the inaugural appears improbable to summation traction.

The EU–Israel Association Agreement, which entered into unit successful 2000, underpins governmental dialog and economical cooperation. The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner, with full commercialized successful goods reaching €42.6 cardinal successful 2024.

In September 2025, arsenic Israel’s violative successful Gaza continued, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen projected a partial suspension of the agreement, citing a “man-made famine” and “a wide effort to undermine the two-state solution”.

The connection has since stalled, with subordinate states profoundly divided. Countries including Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic person opposed the move, preventing the enactment of a qualified bulk needed to follow commercialized restrictions.

Diplomats told Euronews that, successful caller meetings, respective subordinate states person reiterated their reluctance to determination forward.