Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network report on EU-Israeli relations

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network (EMHRN), which includes our partner organizations B'Tselem and Al-Haq, has launched its third annual review on human rights in EU-Israeli relations.

The report claims that the EU, in its eagerness to strenghten the cooperation with Israel, allows Israel to implement its agreeements with EU in a way that is illegal under international law. By doing this, EU risks violating its own obligations and committments under both international law and European Community law.

For example, under the trade and scientific cooperation with Israel, the EU risks accomodating to illegal Israeli policies stemming from settlement businesses and products. Another example is the EU-Israeli cooperation to monitor the Rafah crossing - the only exit between the Gaza Strip and another country (Egypt), where EU's assistance risks accomodating Israel's politically motivated closures of the crossing.

By allowing for the unlawful implementation of its agreements with Israel, EU's committment to promote respect for human rights and international humanitarian law looses much of its value. 

To the EMHRN Third Annual Review on Human Rights in EU-Israel Relations