A PETITION TO suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, the legal basis for the EU’s trade relations with Israel, has reached almost one million signatures.

Once a European citizens’ initiative, like the current petition, obtains at least one million valid signatures in at least seven EU countries, it can be submitted to the European Commission for examination.

When the threshold is met the organisers of the initiative can meet with the Commission to discuss their objectives. The Commission examines the proposal, then replies on actions it intends to take, if any.

The current petition, organised by Justice for Palestine, has 985,144 signatures. It proposes suspending the Association Agreement on the basis Israel has violated human rights in Palestine.

The petition states: “EU citizens cannot tolerate that the EU maintains an agreement that contributes to legitimize and finance a State that commits crimes against humanity and war crimes.”

“Therefore, we call on the Commission to put forward the proposal to the Council for the full suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.”

Fianna Faíl MEP Barry Andrews has shared the petition on X,

“Worth a minute of your time to sign,” he said.