Country: occupied Palestinian territory Sources: ActionAid, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, Amnesty International, Christian Aid, CRIN, EuroMed Rights, Fédération internationale pour les droits humains, Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion, Human Rights Watch, International Media Support, International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims, Oxfam, PAX, Plan International, Solidar, World Organisation Against Torture The undersigned human rights and humanitarian organizations and trade unions urge the EU to ensure that the ongoing review of Israel’s compliance with article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement be thorough, comprehensive, and credible.Article 2 establishes that respect for human rights and democratic principles constitutes an “essential element” of the agreement. Amid overwhelming evidence of Israel’s atrocity crimes and other egregious human rights abuses against Palestinians throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), a credible review can only reach one conclusion: that Israel is in severe non-compliance with article 2.In light of this, we call on the European Commission and all EU Member States to support meaningful and concrete measures, including the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, at least in part.We are appalled that it took the EU so long to launch this review, despite a request by Spain and Ireland already in February 2024, international court rulings, arrest warrants issued by International Criminal Court, and numerous reports by UN bodies, independent experts, prominent NGOs and scholars exposing Israel’s very serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian law throughout the OPT, including war crimes, crimes against humanity - including forced displacement, apartheid and extermination - and genocide.Some of these findings were presented to EU foreign ministers in November 2024; but instead of moving towards the suspension of the agreement and taking other appropriate measures, the ministers only agreed to convene a meeting of the EU-Israel Association Council, in which they called for a ceasefire, humanitarian aid at scale, full respect for IHL, and a halting of Israel’s illegal settlement policy. Israeli authorities blatantly did the exact opposite of all that, once again to no consequence for EU-Israel bilateral relations – until now.The context in which this review is being conducted is dramatic and requires urgent and effective action. For months, Israel has completely blocked aid from entering the occupied Gaza Strip, and then tried to replace the UN-led humanitarian aid system in Gaza with military-led distribution hubs, where high numbers of killings of civilians seeking aid have been recorded. This is in breach of Israel’s obligations under IHL as an occupying power, and of three binding rulings issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in January, March and May 2024, ordering Israeli authorities to allow the unhindered provision of urgently needed humanitarian aid at scale throughout Gaza to prevent a genocide.This, along with the expansion of Israel’s military operations in Gaza targeting life-sustaining infrastructures, healthcare facilities, shelters, and killing and maiming thousands of civilians since a fragile ceasefire was broken, has continued to cause unspeakable suffering to the illegally besieged Palestinians in Gaza.As parties to the Genocide Convention, all EU member states have the obligation to “employ all means reasonably available to them” to prevent a genocide. That obligation arises not when a definitive judicial determination is made, but as soon as a state learns, or should normally have learned, of a serious risk that genocide may be committed. The International Court of Justice provided clear guidance in that regard. EU action is long overdue.But while Gaza might have been the trigger for launching the review of article 2 of the Association Agreement, the scope of the review is broader, concerning Israel’s respect for “human rights and democratic principles”. We note, in that regard, the landmark July 2024 advisory opinion by the ICJ, which found Israel’s occupation of the OPT to be illegal, in breach of the Palestinians’ right to self-determination, and characterised by other serious violations, including systematic discrimination and racial segregation, as well as unlawful violence and displacement, demolitions, illegal settlements expansion and land seizure. In September, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution largely endorsing that ruling, and formulating a series of calls that have been ignored by Israeli authorities. Furthermore, reports from human rights groups and UN investigations also highlight torture against Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, leading to multiple deaths.In this context, a weak or inconclusive review of Israel’s compliance with article 2, and/or failure by the Commission and Council to suspend at least part of the Association Agreement, would ultimately destroy what’s left of the EU’s credibility - and, most importantly, it would further embolden Israeli authorities to continue their atrocity crimes and other egregious violations against the Palestinians in total impunity.The EU must act now, as it long should have.11.11.11Academics for PalestineAction for WomenActionAid DenmarkActionAid FranceActionAid IrelandActionAid ItalyAFPSAl Mezan Center for Human RightsAmbasada RogAmnesty InternationalARSIS - Association for the Social Support of YouthAssociation Belgo-Palestinienne WBAssociation des Universitaires pour le Respect du Droit International en Palestine (AURDIP)AVAAZBelgian Academics and Artists for Palestine (BA4P)Bloody Sunday TrustBroederlijk DelenCairo Institute for Human Rights StudiesCentre for Global EducationCGT (Confédération générale du Travail)Changemakers LabChild Rights International Network (CRIN)Christian Aid IrelandCIDACCIDSE - international family of Catholic social justice organisationsCollectif Judéo-Arabe et Citoyen pour la Palestine (CJACP)ComhlámhComité de Solidaridad con la Causa ÁrabeCospeCRIDCulture de PalestineDanes je nov danDe-ColonizerDefence for Children InternationalDiakoniaDIGNITY - Danish Institute Against TortureDruštvo Humanitas - center za globalno učenje in sodelovanjeDutch Scholars for PalestineEkōEntraide et FraternitéEqual Legal AidEurocadresEuroMed RightsEuropean Coordination of Committees and Association for Palestine - ECCPEuropean Jews for PalestineEuropean Middle East Project (EuMEP)European Trade Union Network for Justice in PalestineFédération Artisans du MondeFenix Humanitarian Legal AidFGTB-ABVVFinnish Arab Friendsip SocietyFinnish Development NGOs - FingoFinnwatch ryFundación MundubatGibanje za pravice PalestincevHellenic League for Human RightsHuman Rights WatchHumanity & Inclusion - Handicap InternationalHUSOMEInstitute 8th of MarchInternational Federation for Human Rights - FIDHInternational Media SupportInternational Rehabilitation Council of Torture Victims (IRCT)Ireland-Palestine Solidarity CampaignIrish Anti War MovementIrish Council for Civil LibertiesJewish Call for PeaceKairos IrelandLa CimadeLa Coordinadora de Organizaciones para el DesarrolloLAB Sindikatua Basque CountryMouvement de la paix franceMPPM - Movimento pelos Direitos do Povo Palestino e pela Paz no Médio OrienteMy Voice, My ChoiceNWRG (New Wepons Research Group) odvOlof Palme International CenterOVCA - society for awareness raising and protection - center of antidiscriminationOxfam IrelandParents for PeacePAXPax Christi InternationalPax Christi Vlaanderen (Belgium)Peace InstitutePIC - Legal Center for the Protection of Human Rights and the EnvironmentPlan International EU Liaison OfficePlataforma por Empresas ResponsablesPlateforme des ONG françaises pour la PalestinePolish-Palestinian Justice Initiative KAKTUSProja instituteResearch and Universities for Palestine Network-ItalySadaka-the Ireland Palestine AllianceSamos VolunteersSB OVERSEAS - SOUTIEN BELGE OUTRE-FRONTIERESSETEM CatalunyaSindikat Mladi plus (Trade Union Youth Plus)Slovene Philanthropy, Association for the Promotion of VolunteeringSOLIDARSolsocThe European Legal Support Center (ELSC)The Palestine Solidarity Association of SwedenThe Rights ForumTrinity College Dublin Students’ Union/ Aontas Mac Léinn Choláiste na TríonóideUGT SPAINUnion juive française pour la paixUnion syndicale SolidairesUnited Against Inhumanity (UAI)Viva SaludVrede vzw (Belgium)VredesactieWorld Organisation Against Torture (OMCT)Yoga and Sport With RefugeesZavod 3MUHE