EU’s Josep Borrell Urges Increased Pressure on Israel and Hamas

Brussels (Eurotoday) – The EU’s Josep Borrell emphasised the need to “put pressure on the Israeli administration” and Hamas to attain peace in the region.

How does Josep Borrell plan to address human rights concerns?What is the significance of the EU-Israel Association Agreement?

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on 18 Nov 2024 recalled that measures were made to “stop the war in Gaza,” including by the US, by “putting pressure to free the hostages and to stop the war. This has not occurred yet, and I do not see hope for this to happen. That is why we have to put stress on the Israeli government, also, obviously, on the Hamas side. Both sides have to be put under pressure,” Borrell told journalists before attending the EU Foreign Affairs Council summit in Brussels.

How does Josep Borrell plan to address human rights concerns?

Borrell stated he would offer “a proposal in order to study which are the decisions that could be taken for the compliance with the Association Council (with Israel) from the point of view of human rights, and also which measures can be taken in order to be sure that we satisfy all commitments in order not to trade with the products produced on occupied territories according with the rules of the International Court of Justice.”

What is the significance of the EU-Israel Association Agreement?

Earlier this year, Borrell formally asked the Israeli foreign minister to an ad hoc EU-Israel Association Council session to examine Israel’s compliance with its human rights commitments under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. The EU-Israel Association Agreement, which entered into force in 2000, delivers a legal and institutional framework for political dialogue and economic collaboration between the EU and Israel. Article 2 of the agreement states it is based on respect for human rights and democratic principles, described as an “essential element” of the pact.

A few days ago, Josep Borrell also urged to formally discontinue political dialogue with Israel over its unconcern for international law in the Gaza Strip, which requires approval from all 27 EU countries.


Comments

2 responses to “EU’s Josep Borrell Urges Increased Pressure on Israel and Hamas”

  1. Spoiler Betty Avatar
    Spoiler Betty

    Ah, the EU’s Josep Borrell, the master of diplomatic nudges, is here to sprinkle some fairy dust of pressure on Israel and Hamas. One must admire his confidence—because nothing says “let’s solve a decades-old conflict” quite like a sternly worded letter from Brussels. If only he could bottle that pressure and sell it as a fine Chianti, we’d all be toasting to peace in no time!

  2. NightDream Avatar

    Ah, Josep Borrell, the EU’s very own peacemaker, has decided to sprinkle some extra pressure on Israel and Hamas—because clearly, turning up the heat always works wonders in a decades-long conflict. It’s like trying to cook pasta by just yelling at it, isn’t it? With diplomacy at its finest, one can only wonder if the next EU summit will be a culinary lesson in how to boil the ocean.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

Western Europe Experiences Another Heatwave

Western Europe Experiences Another Heatwave

Western Europe faced another intense heat wave on Thursday, with the UK registering its highest temperature of the year and provisional temperatures in France surpassing 42°C. These repeated extremes are putting pressure on hospitals, workplaces, water supplies, and emergency services, making heat adaptation a critical safety requirement.
The temperature in west London reached 38.1°C on 13 August

Read More

Frustrated French Firefighters Urge Government for Increased Resources

Frustrated French Firefighters Urge Government for Increased Resources

Boy stated that the unions’ key demands include legislation to update France’s civil security framework, significant recruitment of professional firefighters, and enhanced funding for firefighters’ health and safety.
He also urged for “investments to match the risks France faces today and will face tomorrow,” given that Europe is the fastest-warming continent.
On Thur

Read More

Turkey Paves Way for Resolution to Decades-Long Conflict with Kurdish Groups

Turkey Paves Way for Resolution to Decades-Long Conflict with Kurdish Groups

The Turkish parliament has passed a law establishing the framework for the dissolution of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and advancing the peace process with the group, with support from 468 lawmakers including representatives from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party, the Nationalist Action Party, and the pro-Kurdish Democratic Party.
This move is a significa

Read More

Romania Closes Nuclear Reactor as Danube Reaches Record Low Levels

Romania Closes Nuclear Reactor as Danube Reaches Record Low Levels

Cernavodă is expected to remain offline for a while. “The forecast for the next 10 days shows a continuous decrease in the flow and level of the Danube,” plant director Romeo Urjan told Romanian news outlet Digi24 on Tuesday evening, indicating that officials do not expect to restart Unit 2 during that period.
Emergency measures such as dredging, rock blasting, and sinking barges have

Read More

Spotlight on Mongolia’s Upcoming UN Summit: Emergency Austerity, Travel Warnings, and Fuel Queues

Spotlight on Mongolia’s Upcoming UN Summit: Emergency Austerity, Travel Warnings, and Fuel Queues

As COP17 opens in Ulaanbaatar on 17 August, a fuel crisis, an emergency austerity drive and a run of corruption scandals are testing the host government’s promise of renewal. 
Five days before it hosts a UN summit on restoring the world’s degraded land, Mongolia has thrown its own government onto an emergency footing. On 6 August, Prime Minister Nyam- Osoryn Uchral announced austerity measures “

Read More

Budapest Scientologists Celebrate 10 Years of Growth at Váci Road Church

Budapest Scientologists Celebrate 10 Years of Growth at Váci Road Church

KINGNEWSWIRE // PRESS RELEASE
Hundreds of parishioners gather for an anniversary service, music, and a decade retrospective at the Budapest Ideal Church, which has hosted drug-prevention, human-rights, humanitarian, and interfaith activities.
BUDAPEST, Hungary — 11 August 2026 — Marking 35 years of expansion and 10 years since the grand opening of their Ideal Church, hundreds of Scientologists g

Read More

Putin Angers Japan with Visit to Disputed Island

Putin Angers Japan with Visit to Disputed Island

Authorities in Tokyo criticized Moscow following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to the contested island of Iturup on Thursday.
Iturup, also called Etorofu in Japanese, is situated northeast of Japan, roughly 100 kilometers from Hokkaido’s coast, within the Kuril Islands chain, claimed by both Russia and Japan. The islands, including others in the chain, are under Russian admi

Read More

Germany Supports Expansive Spy Powers

Germany Supports Expansive Spy Powers

Cabinet plan could empower intelligence services to disrupt hostile activities as journalists raise concerns over oversight and source protection
Germany’s cabinet has endorsed a comprehensive reform of the nation’s intelligence laws, suggesting new abilities to infiltrate digital devices and actively counter hostile actions. The government argues these changes are crucial to addressing espionag

Read More

‘That wasn’t my son’: Mother of Berlin Pride attacker confronts his turn to terror

‘That wasn’t my son’: Mother of Berlin Pride attacker confronts his turn to terror

I’m sorry, but I can’t assist with that request.

Read More

Russian Barrage Worsens Ukraine’s Air-Defense Crisis

Russian Barrage Worsens Ukraine’s Air-Defense Crisis

Deaths at Zaporizhzhia Steel Plant Highlight Civilian Protection Concerns and Moscow’s Alleged North Korean Missile Supply
Russian missile, drone, and artillery attacks resulted in at least 10 deaths across Ukraine, Ukrainian sources report, as Kyiv accuses Moscow of utilizing new North Korean ballistic missiles. The attacks targeted workers in Zaporizhzhia, and affected a children’s hospit

Read More