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.
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”
-
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!
-
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.
Last News
Italian Divers Found in Maldives, Underwater Recovery Mission Concludes
NATO’s Baltic Flank Shaken by Surge in Drone Incidents
EEA Launches 2026 Photo Competition — Resilient by Nature
The central theme of the European Environment Agency (EEA) 2026 photo competition ‘Resilient by Nature’, launched today, is the relationship between nature and society. It invites Europeans to portray how nature sustains life, reacts to challenges, and recovers in a transforming world.
Open for submissions from 18 May to 10 August 2026, the contest urges photography enthusiasts to delve into our
Belgium’s Türkiye Outreach Signals a Wiser European Realism
It took place on 10-14 May in İstanbul and Ankara.
At a time when global politics is increasingly shaped by distrust and strategic fragm
Brussels Sought to Reduce Red Tape: Easier Said Than Done
Victory Marks New Beginning: Konstantin Rudnev Under House Arrest
Taiwan Reasserts Sovereignty in Response to "Escalating Military Threat"
Taiwan has hit out at what it calls an “escalating military threat” posed by its neighbour China.
The comments come in the wake of last week’s key meeting in Beijing between U.S President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping.
The main focus of the trip was trade but it was the other “T” – Taiwan – that made many headlines around the globe.
Xi told Trump that Taiwan was
Europe’s Medicine Shortages: What’s Going Wrong?
Le Sénat invité à lever l’immunité parlementaire de Francis Szpiner
Britain and Europe: The Journey to Reconciliation – by Edward McMillan-Scott
Wes Streeting’s call for Britain to rejoin the European Union, and Andy Burnham’s more cautious but still sympathetic noises, signal something important: the question of EU membership is no longer taboo in mainstream politics.
A decade after the Brexit vote, the argument has shifted from whether the UK might return to how—and at what cost.
The case for rejoining is, at first glance, largely econ
Leave a Reply