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LAST UPDATE | 23 Jun
TÁNAISTE AND MINISTER for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris attended a meeting with his EU counterparts in Brussels today, where a report on Israel’s breaches of its agreement with the EU was discussed.
The European Union says there are ″indications″ that Israel’s actions in Gaza are violating human rights obligations in its trade agreement with the EU, according to its findings seen by The Associated Press.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas presented the review to foreign ministers of the 27-member bloc in Brussels today, leading at least one country to openly propose suspending the trade deal.
“There are indications that Israel would be in breach of its human rights obligations under Article 2 of the EU-Israel Associated Agreement,” according to the review by the EU’s diplomatic corps, the European External Action Service.
A third of Israel’s imports come from the EU, valued at about £20 billion (€23.36 billion) annually, while Europe imports less than 1% of its goods from Israel, according to the EU Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security.
Suspending trade ties would require a unanimous decision, which is likely impossible to obtain from countries like Austria, Germany and Hungary, that tend to back Israel.
Other actions — such as ending visa-free travel to Europe for Israelis, sanctioning Israeli settlers in the West Bank or halting academic partnerships — could be pushed if a “qualified majority” — 15 of the 27 nations representing at least 65% of the population of the EU — agree.
Pleased to meet @Antonio_Tajani 🇮🇹 in Brussels today.
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) June 23, 2025
We discussed the growing crisis in the Middle East and held a substantive discussion on Trade and Tariffs.
With less than 16 days to go until the pause expires, we must do everything we can to avoid further US Tariffs. 🇪🇺🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/rHrdiJkIOA
Countries like Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain have been vocal in their support for the Palestinians in Gaza.
“When all the focus is on Iran and the escalation regarding Iran, we should not forget about Gaza,” said Dutch foreign minister Caspar Veldkamp, who led the charge for the review.
Kaja Kallas hosted today’s discussions.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels today, she said that the EU-Israel agreement would be discussed now that member states have access to the report.
She also said Israel had submitted comments of their own, which would allow for a “broader” discussion.
Foreign ministers remain focused on a diplomatic solution, but concerns about the war escalating are high.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) June 23, 2025
Any Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz would be extremely dangerous.
My doorstep ahead of today’s Foreign Affairs Council ↓ pic.twitter.com/VeHwCyxdL4
Harris addressed Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza at the meeting today.
Harris told reporters in Brussels this morning that Ireland’s position is that the EU-Israel agreement should be suspended, but he also said he does not expect there to be a consensus among member states on that point.
He said it was clear that Israel is in breach of its human rights obligations under Article Two and that “if a review finds a breach, consequences must flow from that”.
Harris also said that the decisions made in response to the report would affect the credibility of the EU.
“When we enter agreements and put the human rights clauses in, it’s not for padding.
“They’re not discretionary, they’re not nice to have.
“They’re compulsory, mandatory parts of agreements when we do business with people and there have to be, there have to be consequences.”
Speaking after the Council meeting, Harris remarked that Ireland “was not alone in wanting to keep the focus on the appalling and deteriorating situation in Gaza, as well as the extremely worrying developments in the West Bank”.
He said it was clear from the review that Israel is in breach of its human rights obligations and that this is a “significant finding” which will be “communicated clearly to Israel”.
Harris said the issue will be further discussed at a Foreign Affairs Council meeting next month.
Harris added that he was one of ten Ministers to write to Kallas calling for the EU to undertake a detailed review of its compliance with the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The non-binding Advisory Opinion found that “Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful and needs to be brought to an end as rapidly as possible”.
Harris said this review will be taken forward in parallel with the review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who was among the 17 European leaders who called on the EU to conduct the review last month, in the aftermath of Israel’s near-three month total siege on Gaza, welcomed the conclusions.
He said that “concrete steps” must be taken in respect of the review, which he intends to discuss at a leaders’ summit in Brussels this week.
Martin said the review paints a “grim picture of a sustained and deliberate failure by Israel to adhere to its international obligations, especially in Gaza but also in the West Bank”.
According to the Taoiseach, the review highlights a continued restriction of basic aid, such as food, medicine and other vital supplies, in Gaza.
The review says that it amounts to “collective punishment of the civilian population” – which is illegal under international law – and that it also amounts to the use of “starvation as a method of war”.
It also references the “unprecedented level of killing and injury of civilians in Gaza” resulting from “indiscriminate attacks without proportion or precaution”.
President Michael D. Higgins today welcomed the Director General of the World Health Organisation, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, to Áras an Uachtaráin, where they discussed the importance of today’s meeting of EU Foreign Ministers.
President Higgins said remarked that there is a “distressing” shortage of drinking water in Gaza and also noted that Gaza has now the highest numbers of child amputees per-capita in the world.
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan called today’s decision by the EU “utter cowardice”.
“Alongside their total violations of international law amid their ruthless genocide in Gaza – these are clear grounds on which the EU could suspend all trade today.
“The EU collectively has already sent 69 million rounds of ammunition to Israel since October 2023, and this decision is vote to continue arming Israels slaughter of innocent men, women and children.
“What we needed today was an immediate and total suspension of trade with Israel, and a two way arms embargo.
“Instead, the EU has destroyed any credibility it had as a voice for international law and human rights,” she concluded.
Meanwhile, Oxfam remarked that the review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement would not have happened without the “leadership of the Irish government, who – alongside Spain – were the first to call for it”.
Oxfam called for “decisive action from the EU as a collective to suspend the association agreement as Israel is clearly in breach”.
“The EU must act decisively to uphold international law and protect human life or face complicity with the ongoing deaths of Palestinians,” said Oxfam in a statement.
Yesterday, Euronews reported that a letter sent by Israel to the EU rejected the findings of the report as a “rush job” and said it “fails morally”.
“The report aims to deny Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorism. It does not cite any of the many positive actions undertaken by Israel in the humanitarian field and neglects to mention the continuous refusal by Hamas of a US-brokered hostage deal (the ‘Witkoff Proposal’) which Israel has agreed to,” the letter said.
After a short round of rare criticism of its war on Gaza by its most important European allies last month, Israel’s attack on Iran on 13 June led to a rapid change in tone, with UK, French and German leaders insisting it has a “right to defend itself”.
Many European countries have also echoed Israeli and American claims about Iran’s nuclear programme, saying Tehran is trying to build nuclear weapons, despite a recent US intelligence assessment that said the opposite was true.
“Concerns of retaliation and this war escalating are huge,” Kaja Kallas said today.
“Especially the closing of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran is something that would be extremely dangerous and not good for anybody,” she added.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital shipping lane, especially for the global oil market. Analysts have said Iran may retaliate against the US by closing the strait.
Harris today described the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites as “a very unhelpful intervention”.
Speaking after the meeting, and after Iran’s attack on a US base in Qatar, Harris said that Iran’s attacks are a “worrying example of the spiral of escalation we fear”.
He spoke this morning with the Prime Minister of Qatar and Harris said he is “working intensively to try and help bring about de-escalation”.
Harris added that there was a “united call for restraint and de-escalation and for a return to diplomacy and dialogue” at the meeting.
“We are all agreed that Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, but this must be achieved through negotiation,” said Harris, who added that the EU is keeping channels of communication with Iran open.
France’s Foreign Minister Jen-Noel Barrot said today that Europe could bring to bear its long experience negotiating with Iran to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons.
“There is no lasting military solution to this problem,” Barrot said. “Only negotiations can enable us to place long-term limits on Iran’s nuclear programme.”
“Europe can bring its experience, its competence, its fine knowledge of these questions to open a space for negotiations,” he said.
“We reject any attempt to bring about regime change by force,” Barrot added, warning it would be “illusory and dangerous” to think such a shift can be achieved with “bombs”.
Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon, as it would be a threat to international security.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) June 22, 2025
I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation.
EU Foreign Ministers will discuss the situation tomorrow.
“The negotiating table is the only place to end this crisis,” EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said yesterday.
The US and Iran had been in negotiations over uranium enrichment right up until Israel launched a sweeping aerial attack on its arch foe on 13 June.
Today, German Chancellor Friedrich Marz said he saw “no reason” to criticise the US for its bombing of Iran.
“Yes, it is not without risk. But leaving things as they were was not an option either,” Merz said in a speech to the Federation of German Industries.
Also today, the EU foreign ministers were joined by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiha.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that Russia fired over 350 drones and 16 missiles at the country in overnight strikes that have killed at least seven people.
With reporting from AFP, Associated Press, and Emma Hickey
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