MADRID/LUXEMBOURG, April 21 (Xinhua) -- Spain on Tuesday called on the European Union (EU) to send a "clear and strong signal" to Israel by moving toward the suspension of their association agreement, citing concerns over international law and human rights.
Speaking ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said Spain, together with Slovenia and Ireland, had formally requested a debate on the issue within the bloc.
"Today, Europe's credibility is at stake. If we are not able to send a clear and strong signal to Israel that it must change its policy, we will lose that credibility," Albares said.
The proposal centers on the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which governs political and trade relations and includes a clause requiring respect for human rights. Spain and its partners argue that recent developments in the Middle East warrant a reassessment of the agreement under this provision.
Albares stressed that the EU should act consistently across international crises, noting that the bloc has taken firm positions on conflicts such as in Ukraine and Sudan. Failure to apply similar standards in the case of Israel would undermine the EU's global standing, he said.
Under EU rules, a complete suspension of the agreement would require unanimity among member states, though partial measures -- such as suspending trade-related provisions -- could be adopted with a qualified majority. ■
