The European Union will be updated every two weeks on Israel's implementation of a new aid deal for Gaza, the EU's foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday after a meeting of the bloc's 27 foreign ministers.
They discussed but failed to adopt any of the 10 options put forward by Ms Kallas to retaliate against Israel after it was found to have breached a human rights clause enshrined in EU-Israel relations during the Gaza war.
The options included a full suspension of relations, which remains unlikely because it requires consensus, as well as decisions that need a qualified majority vote such as restricting privileged trade relations. The EU is historically divided on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
"The aim is not to punish Israel, it is to really improve the situation in Gaza," Ms Kallas said. The next meeting of EU foreign ministers is scheduled in October, after a summer break.
EU countries, however, remain open to moving forward with the options paper as leverage to use against Israel if it fails to implement the deal in full. "Israel needs to take more concrete steps to improve the humanitarian situation on the ground," Ms Kallas said. "The European Union will keep a close watch on how Israel implements this common understanding. We will keep these options on the table and stand ready to act if Israel does not live up to its pledges."
Deal not respected
The agreement struck last Thursday has led to some concrete developments such as the reopening of aid crossings and Israeli authorisation of Unicef to repair water pipes, EU officials say, but it remains unclear how many aid lorries have been able to enter the enclave.
The expected number is 160 lorries a day, according to news website Politico, but humanitarians say at least three times more are needed to meet the needs of Gaza's two million inhabitants. Between 40 and 50 lorries entered recently via the Jordanian route, Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has said, describing the figure as “far from being sufficient”.
Ahead of talks on Tuesday, Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, expressed frustration with the deal, saying the EU had no visibility on how many lorries had entered Gaza. "What is clear is that the agreement is not fully implemented," she said.
Decisions taken by the Israeli cabinet on July 6 to expand the distribution of humanitarian aid in Gaza were reflected in the deal struck with the EU, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said in Brussels ahead of a separate meeting on Monday evening. Mr Saar said those decisions were "taking place on the ground" a few days before the agreement was announced on Thursday.
Israel has since late May been backing a new controversial aid distribution mechanism, the Gaza Humanitarian Fund, which has been accused of leading to a surge of deaths among Palestinians as they try to access aid. The EU has said it supports a return of the UN as the main humanitarian co-ordinator.
Senior officials have warned the EU's failure to act on Israel's breach of the human rights clause of the EU-Israel Association Agreement during the Gaza war would be a stain on its conscience. "The dignity of Europe is also at stake," said Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, who supports a full suspension for at least the duration of the Gaza war.
National measures
Speaking to The National, former EU ambassador James Moran said the bloc should make more use of its leverage. "You would not have had the Israelis signing on to this humanitarian accord if there was not a danger that there would be some action taken over the EU-Israeli Association Agreement," he said.
At minimum, nations should apply an advisory opinion published by the International Court of Justice last year banning trade with the occupied Palestinian territories, he added, or Europe's reputation will be damaged by its failure to uphold international law. "We've reached the stage now in Gaza, where, frankly speaking, it's extremely difficult not to do something in terms of relations with Israel," he said.
Some countries have said they would move ahead unilaterally if no action was taken. Measures considered by Slovenia include an embargo on arms exports and a ban on importing products from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Ireland is likely to become the first EU country to pass a bill banning trade with the occupied Palestinian territories by the summer.
But Israel also has strong supporters within the EU, including Germany, which has welcomed the deal struck with Israel by Ms Kallas and has pushed back against further action. Germany shies away from appearing critical of Israel because of its role in the mass killing of Jews in Europe during the Second World War. Other strong Israel supporters include Hungary, the Czech Republic and Italy.
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
Honeymoonish
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
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Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
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Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
