Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Netanyahu: If Lebanese Army takes steps to disarm Hezbollah, Israel will engage in reciprocal measures, including phased reduction of Israeli military presence in Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Photojournalist Houssam Al-Masri martyred, reporters Hatem Omar, Mohammad Ashraf Salameh injured in Israeli strike on Nasser Medical Complex.
Israeli media: Intense US efforts are being made to resolve differences, such as the issue of the Israeli presence on Mount Hermon and in southern Syria
Israeli media: The security agreement means amending the disengagement agreement, which will also address the Druze issue
Israeli media: Attempts to reach a security agreement between 'Israel' and Syria were among the topics discussed at the Paris meeting
Israeli media: Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif rejected a US proposal to join the recent tripartite meeting between Tom Barrack, al-Shaibani, and Dermer
Saba News Agency: Two martyred, five injured in a preliminary toll of the Israeli aggression on the Yemeni Oil Company station on Al-Sitteen Street in Sanaa
Senior Yemeni military source to Al Mayadeen: We observed a state of confusion among the enemy's aircraft squadron after Yemeni air defenses intercepted the attack
Senior Yemeni military source to Al Mayadeen: The Yemeni air defense forces succeeded in neutralizing a squadron of enemy aircraft and prevented airstrikes on some governorates
Senior Yemeni military source to Al Mayadeen: Our air defenses and missile forces forced a formation of enemy aircraft to flee the airspace

EU reviews association agreement with 'Israel' over Gaza crisis

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 28 May 2025 16:02
4 Min Read

The European Union is reviewing its association agreement with "Israel", citing concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Listen
  • x
  • Palestinians carry boxes containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (AP)
    Palestinians carry boxes containing food and humanitarian aid packages delivered by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, on May 27, 2025. (AP)

Tensions between "Israel" and the European Union have escalated following the European Commission’s decision to launch a formal review of the EU-"Israel" association agreement.

The move, triggered by mounting concern over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, could lead to a partial suspension of cooperation with "Israel" in the coming weeks, a senior EU diplomat told Al-Monitor.

Seventeen of the EU’s 27 member states backed the Dutch proposal on May 20 to revisit the agreement. According to the diplomat, Vice President of the European Commission Kaja Kallas held repeated discussions with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, but no meaningful steps were taken by the Israeli government to ease conditions in Gaza, leaving EU officials with little alternatives.

Signed in 1995 and implemented in 2000, the agreement governs cooperation in trade, science, education, and culture. Article 2 obliges signatories to respect human rights, now the central legal basis for the review, given "Israel’s" restrictions on humanitarian aid to Gaza.

European diplomats indicate a swift timeline, with concrete actions expected to be discussed at the next EU foreign ministers’ meeting on June 23.

Horizon Europe and economic risks

One of the most impactful outcomes of the agreement could be the suspension of "Israel’s" participation in Horizon Europe, the EU’s flagship research and innovation program. The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities has warned that such a step poses a direct threat to the country’s research sector.

Between 2022 and 2024, Israeli researchers secured over €1 billion in Horizon grants, with more than 60% of co-authored publications involving European partners.

Exclusion from Horizon Europe would send a strong signal to academic and scientific institutions, many of which are already reconsidering their ties with "Israel" amid growing international scrutiny.

Related News

FMs of Iran, Egypt push for Muslim unity, action to stop Gaza genocide

Saudi Arabia condemns Gaza famine as failure to deter 'Israel'

The EU was "Israel’s" largest trading partner in 2024, accounting for 32% of its total goods trade, amounting to €42.6 billion. While a full suspension of the free trade zone is unlikely, targeted measures introducing tariffs could damage "Israel’s" competitiveness in European markets.

The review comes amid wider European condemnation of "Israel’s" conduct in Gaza. On May 19, the leaders of Britain, France, and Canada issued a joint statement criticizing "Israel’s" “egregious actions” and warning of potential joint measures.

Kallas echoed this sentiment on May 20, saying, "The situation in Gaza is catastrophic. The aid that Israel has allowed in is, of course, welcomed, but it is a drop in the ocean."

On the diplomatic front, the May 21 incident in which Israeli forces opened fire on a delegation of EU diplomats visiting Jenin has further strained ties, with Kallas calling the incident "unacceptable" and demanding accountability.

Growing divide within the EU

While France, Spain, and Ireland are leading the push for accountability, nine countries, including Germany, Italy, and Greece, opposed the review. However, the support of countries like the Netherlands, Austria, and Romania indicates a shift in EU dynamics, potentially tipping the scale toward more decisive action.

The partial suspension of the association agreement could include halting political dialogue, removing "Israel" from Horizon Europe, or adjusting trade privileges under the Free Trade Agreement. These steps require a 55% majority among EU states, a threshold now within reach following the May 20 vote.

What comes next for EU-"Israel" relations?

The European Commission has not specified when it will publish its findings or recommendations. However, the upcoming June 23 meeting may serve as a pivotal moment, especially if the alleged US-"Israel" aid distribution initiative in Gaza fails to ease the humanitarian crisis.

For "Israel", the stakes are high. As Tamir Hayman, director of the Institute for National Security Studies, warned, “If and when Israel will be perceived as a country you do not do business with, our high-tech and defense tech risk collapsing.”

“The review decision is a step in the wrong direction,” said Haim Regev, "Israel’s" ambassador to the EU. “Constructive dialogue should be the path forward. Threats and punishments won’t advance anything.”

Yet, for many EU officials, the time for symbolic gestures has passed. As diplomatic and economic pressure mounts, "Israel’s" global isolation may deepen unless it addresses the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and complies with international human rights obligations.

Read more: Spanish FM calls for sanctions on 'Israel' amid aimless war on Gaza

  • genocide in Gaza
  • Gaza Strip
  • war on Gaza
  • Europe
  • Israeli aggression
  • Israel
  • Israeli occupation
  • Israeli war crimes
  • Gaza
  • European Union

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Displaced Palestinians walk through a makeshift camp along the beach in Gaza City, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)

Hamas, other factions accept Egypt-Qatar ceasefire proposal: Exclusive

  • Politics
  • 18 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS