Former EU diplomats urge suspension of bloc's co-operation agreement with Israel

"More than 300 former European diplomats and ex-officials have written to EU leaders urging a far more decisive response to the war in Gaza, including a full suspension of the bloc's cooperation agreement with Israel. Published soon after the opening of the UN general assembly in New York, the letter from the 312 signatories also called on all EU member states to recognise the state of Palestine, joining 147 countries that have already done so."

"The statement followed the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen issuing her strongest condemnation yet of the Israeli government, as she called for sanctions on extremist ministers and a suspension of the trade part of the EU-Israel association agreement. Man-made famine can never be a weapon of war, she said in her sharpest comments on Israel's 23-month war that has brought humanitarian catastrophe to Gaza."

"Michael Doyle, a former EU ambassador and co-organiser of the letter, said: It was good to hear the announcements yesterday, but of course now we want to see those words put into action. But the letter, which has been sent to von der Leyen and the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, goes further than the steps outlined by von der Leyen on Wednesday, calling for a full suspension of the EU-Israel agreement and urging the union to show leadership in global bodies by pressuring Israel to comply with international law."

More than 300 former European diplomats and ex-officials urged EU leaders to adopt a far more decisive response to the Gaza war, including full suspension of the bloc's cooperation agreement with Israel. The signatories also called on all EU member states to recognise the state of Palestine, joining 147 countries that have already done so. Several countries including France, Belgium, the UK, Canada and Australia are expected to signal recognition at the UN. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen condemned the Israeli government, called for sanctions on extremist ministers, proposed suspension of trade elements of the association agreement, and announced targeted freezes of financial support. Organisers demanded action and leadership to pressure Israel to comply with international law.

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