Spain, Ireland seek EU check on Zionist human rights record
Spain and Ireland on Wednesday asked the European Union to “urgently” examine whether the Zionist entity is complying with its human rights obligations in Gaza under an accord that links rights to trade ties.
The Spanish and Irish prime ministers Pedro Sanchez and Leo Varadkar sent a letter to the European Commission urging it to “act urgently on the Gaza crisis”. “Given the critical situation in Rafah, Ireland and Spain have just requested the European Commission urgently review whether (the Zionist entity) is complying with its obligations to respect human rights in Gaza,” Sanchez wrote on X, formerly Twitter. More than 1.4 million Palestinians are trapped in the southern city of Rafah as Zionist troops prepare for a full-scale ground operation that has triggered international alarm over the potential for mass casualties. The Zionist entity’s assault on Gaza has been ongoing for four months.
In the letter, the two leaders demand “an urgent review of whether (the Zionist entity) is complying with its obligations, including under the EU/ (Zionist entity) Association Agreement, which makes respect for human rights and democratic principles an essential element of the relationship,” it says. The association agreement is the main basis for the bloc’s trade ties with the entity. Signed in 1995, it came into force in 2000.
‘Appropriate measures’
“If it considers that (the Zionist entity) is in breach”, the Commission should propose “appropriate measures to the Council to consider”, the letter said. The European Commission confirmed it had received the letter and would “look into it”, spokeswoman Arianna Podesta told reporters.
Foreign affairs spokeswoman Nabila Massrali was not immediately able to say how the Commission would review the human rights element of the agreement but said there “must be accountability for any violation of international law”. The EU, she said, consistently stressed the importance of protecting civilians and deplores the loss of life, with such messages passed on “in its contacts with the (Zionist) authorities”.