The Taoiseach has said it is “incomprehensible” to Europeans that the EU appears unable to exert pressure on Israel to bring an end to the conflict in Gaza, reports Breaking News.
Micheál Martin stated he would be addressing the “dire, catastrophic humanitarian situation” in Gaza with fellow EU leaders during a summit in Brussels on Thursday.
He said the crisis “cries out for a strong political response from Europe,” and added that he plans to urge leaders to examine the EU-Israel Association Agreement, reports Breaking News.
A review of the agreement has found signs that Israel may have violated the human rights commitments outlined in the accord.
Mr Martin previously expressed his support for suspending the agreement, saying Israel has “clearly broken” the human rights conditions included in the deal, reports Breaking News.
He acknowledged that differing historical experiences have shaped the views of some EU countries but said: “From a humanitarian perspective, it is incomprehensible what is going on, what continues to go on, and Europe needs to really articulate that in the strongest possible way.”
He emphasized that Israel should adhere to “all clauses” of its association agreement with the EU, particularly those related to human rights, reports Breaking News.
Mr Martin also pointed to actions taken by countries such as the UK, Norway, and Canada, which have imposed additional sanctions on West Bank settlers and Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
“These are issues that the European Union should look at, as well as the Association Agreement,” reports Breaking News.
Mr Martin told reporters: “I will be saying to my European colleagues that the people of Europe find it incomprehensible that Europe does not seem to be in a position to pressure on Israel and leverage on Israel to stop this war in Gaza, to stop the continuing slaughter of children and innocent civilians. The war must stop. There must be a humanitarian response and a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza and an end to the blockade,” reports Breaking News.
Mr Martin said Ireland will be working to identify ways to ensure that “this war stops and that humanitarian aid gets in urgently to Gaza”.
When asked about Israel’s response to the review—which it described as “outrageous”—Mr Martin replied: “Israel needs to stop denouncing every report that comes out using objective criteria to describe the situation in Gaza. It’s not an outrage. The review, in some respects, some could argue, is quite a modest document that seeks to objectively present the facts in relation to Gaza. But it avoids emotional language and so on, so I think that kind of tactic and pattern of undermining those who would even question what’s happening in Gaza, that also has to stop,” reports Breaking News.
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