Relations between the European Union and Israel took a nosedive on the eve of the diplomatic recognition of a Palestinian state by EU members Ireland and Spain, with Madrid suggesting sanctions should be considered against Israel for its continued attacks in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Quick Read
Certainly! Here are the key points of the story in bullet form:
- EU-Israel Relations:
- EU-Israel relations deteriorated as Ireland and Spain are set to formally recognize a Palestinian state.
- Spain suggested that sanctions against Israel should be considered due to its continued attacks in Rafah, Gaza.
- Israeli Response:
- Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared that Spain’s consulate in Jerusalem will not be allowed to assist Palestinians.
- Katz accused Spain of “rewarding terror” by recognizing a Palestinian state and referenced historical persecution.
- EU’s Stance:
- EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell supported the International Criminal Court (ICC), which seeks an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leaders.
- Borrell criticized the use of the term antisemitism against the ICC prosecutor.
- Conflict and Casualties:
- Despite EU condemnation of the Hamas-led attack on October 7, which killed 1,200 Israelis, the bloc criticized Israel’s offensive that has resulted in over 35,000 Palestinian deaths according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
- Recent Israeli airstrikes in Rafah killed at least 40 people and targeted areas with displaced people.
- International Reaction:
- The International Court of Justice demanded that Israel halt its offensive in Rafah.
- Spain’s Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares criticized Israel’s treatment of ambassadors and reiterated Spain’s goal to recognize the Palestinian state and achieve a ceasefire and peace.
- Recognition of Palestinian State:
- Spain, Ireland, and Norway (a non-EU member) plan to officially recognize a Palestinian state.
- The decision prompted an angry response from Israel, which summoned the countries’ ambassadors in Tel Aviv.
- Diplomatic Tensions:
- Albares criticized the treatment of ambassadors as undiplomatic but reaffirmed the goal to recognize Palestine and push for peace and a ceasefire.
The Associated Press has the story:
EU-Israel relations take a nosedive as Spain, Ireland set to formally recognize Palestinian state
Newslooks- BRUSSELS (AP) —
Relations between the European Union and Israel took a nosedive on the eve of the diplomatic recognition of a Palestinian state by EU members Ireland and Spain, with Madrid suggesting sanctions should be considered against Israel for its continued attacks in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz told Spain that its consulate in Jerusalem will not be allowed to help Palestinians.
At the same time, the EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, a Spaniard, threw his full weight to support the International Criminal Court, whose prosecutor is seeking an arrest warrant against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others, including the leaders of Hamas.
“The prosecutor of the court has been strongly intimidated and accused of antisemitism,” Borrell said. “The word antisemitic, it’s too heavy. It’s too important.”
Angry words abounded Monday, with Katz accusing Spain of “rewarding terror” by recognizing a Palestinian state, and saying that “the days of the Inquisition are over.” He referred to the infamous Spanish institution started in the 15th century to maintain Roman Catholic orthodoxy that forced Jews and Muslims to flee, convert to Catholicism or, in some instances, face death.
“No one will force us to convert our religion or threaten our existence — those who harm us, we will harm in return,” said Katz.
Even though the EU and its member nations have been steadfast in condemning the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack in which militants stormed across the Gaza border into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 hostage, the bloc has been equally critical of Israel’s ensuing offensive that has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The latest attacks have centered on Rafah, where Palestinian health workers said Israeli airstrikes killed at least 40 people Sunday, hit tents for displaced people and left “numerous” others trapped in flaming debris.
The U.N.’s top court, the International Court of Justice, on Friday demanded that Israel immediately halt its offensive on Rafah, even if it stopped short of ordering a cease-fire for the Gaza enclave.
“Israel has to stop its offensive in Rafah,” Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said.
Spain, Ireland and non-EU member Norway plan to make official their recognition of a Palestinian state on Tuesday. Their joint announcement last week triggered an angry response from Israeli authorities, which summoned the countries’ ambassadors in Tel Aviv to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, where they were filmed while being shown videos of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and kidnapping.
Albares criticized the treatment of the ambassadors. “We reject something that is not within diplomatic courtesy and the customs of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations,” he said.
“But at the same time we have also agreed that we are not going to fall into any provocation that distances us from our goal,” he added. “Our aim is to recognize the state of Palestine tomorrow, make all possible efforts to achieve a permanent cease-fire as soon as possible and also, in the end, to achieve that definitive peace.”
