LONDON, April 21, 2026 (WAFA) – Eve Geddie, Director of the European Institutions Office at Amnesty International, said that “the time has come” to end the European Union’s partnership with Israel, noting that Tel Aviv’s recent policies in Palestine and Lebanon have “crossed European red lines.”
Geddie’s remarks came ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers scheduled for Tuesday, which will discuss reimposing sanctions on Israel.
She explained that the European Union had already concluded that “Israel has violated Article 2 of the Association Agreement between the two sides, which pertains to human rights.”
She added that “Israel has crossed all the red lines set by the Union.”
The EU-Israel Association Agreement, the fundamental legal framework for relations between the two sides, was signed in Brussels on November 20, 1995, and entered into force on June 1, 2000.
Ghedi pointed to Israel's passage of a law to apply the death penalty to Palestinian prisoners and its escalation of attacks on Lebanon, considering this part of a broader context of violations, including the genocide in the Gaza Strip and the continued occupation of the West Bank.
She noted that the support of European leaders for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, reflects a state of impunity, stressing that the EU is obligated to stand with the victims of Israeli violations.
She indicated that European public opinion is demanding concrete steps against Israel, saying that citizens across the continent have "said enough is enough" and are demanding justice, accountability, and an end to impunity.
In this context, the international official noted that more than one million signatures had been collected in three months as part of the "European Citizens" initiative, emphasizing that Amnesty International intends to launch a campaign targeting Germany and Italy to urge them to change their stances toward Tel Aviv.
Ghedi stressed that the European Union's continued inaction against Tel Aviv could have repercussions on several levels, including adherence to international law, the coherence of European positions, and the credibility of the Union.
She explained that the Association Agreement clearly stipulates linking trade privileges to respect for human rights, indicating that ignoring this would undermine the EU's legal obligations.
K.T
