European Union considers suspension of political dialogue and trade preferences with Israel

According to Politico, parts of the European Union-Israel association agreement could be suspended due to Israel's violations of human rights obligations in Gaza. The European Union is considering a range of options for measures, including a "full suspension" of the European Union-Israel Association Agreement, which involves cooperation in trade and other areas, according to a draft internal document prepared by the European Union's External Action Service. Other proposals include a partial suspension of the agreement - that is, a suspension of the "political dialogue" between Brussels and the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which would require unanimous agreement among the 27 member states. But the document notes that the suspension of the agreement "would remove preferential access to the European Union market for Israeli products, subject to a qualified majority vote in the European Union Council", an option that is more likely to pass. A complete ban on the import of illegal settlement products in the West Bank requires the consent of all member states, but the document states that countries can implement the policy on their own.