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

On July 11, according to Politico, some provisions of the European Union-Israel association agreement may be suspended due to Israel's violations of human rights obligations in Gaza. According to a draft internal document prepared by the European Union's External Action Service, the European Union is considering a series of measures options, including a "total suspension" of the European Union-Israel Association Agreement on cooperation in trade and other areas. Other proposals include a partial suspension of the agreement - that is, the suspension of the "political dialogue" between Brussels and the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which requires the unanimous consent of the 27 member states. But the document notes that the suspension of the agreement's "trade chapter, which removes preferential access to the European Union market for Israeli products, may be approved by a qualified majority vote of the European Union Council," is a more likely option. A total ban on imports of illegal West Bank settlement products requires unanimous consent from member states, but the document states that countries can implement the policy on their own.