Germany and Italy on Tuesday rebuffed calls to suspend an EU cooperation deal with Israel, reported the AFP news agency.<\/p>\n
Spain and Ireland had put the issue<\/a> of halting the June 2000 agreement back on the table at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.<\/p>\n German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul called the proposal \u201cinappropriate.”<\/p>\n \u201cWe have to talk with Israel about the critical issues,” he said, adding, \u201cThat has to be done in a critical, constructive dialogue with Israel.”<\/p>\n Italian counterpart Antonio Tajani pushed back as well, saying that \u201cno decision will be taken today.”<\/p>\n The EU last year already put on the table a raft of potential measures to punish Israel, including cutting trade ties or sanctioning government ministers, but so far none of the steps laid out by Brussels has garnered enough support from member states to be put into action.<\/p>\n Suspending the entirety of the EU\u2019s cooperation agreement requires unanimity among the bloc\u2019s 27 countries and would almost certainly be blocked by allies of Israel.<\/p>\n Both Spain and Ireland, which initiated Tuesday\u2019s discussion, have been among Israel\u2019s fiercest critics.<\/p>\n In November of 2023, Spain\u2019s Ambassador to Israel was summoned<\/a> by the Foreign Ministry after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez claimed that “Israel is violating international law and is carrying out indiscriminate killings in Gaza.”<\/p>\n In April of 2024, Sanchez criticized<\/a> what he called Israel’s “disproportionate response” in the Gaza war, saying it risks “destabilizing the Middle East, and as a consequence, the entire world”.<\/p>\n A month later, Spanish Foreign Minister Jos\u00e9 Manuel Albares advocated<\/a> for international sanctions against Israel, citing the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.<\/p>\n In April of 2024, then-Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris failed to mention<\/a> the hostages being held by Hamas during his first speech after being elected leader, resulting in criticism from Israel\u2019s Foreign Ministry.<\/p>\n Later, Harris criticized<\/a> Israel’s strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, accusing Israel of a \u201cpattern of flouting international law and disregard for rules of engagement.”<\/p>\n A month later, Ireland joined<\/a> Spain, Norway, and subsequently Slovenia in officially recognizing a Palestinian state.<\/p>\n