Listen: Foreign ministers weigh Israel sanctions as legal case targets EU inaction on Gaza

Today, EU foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels for their final meeting before the summer recess. The main item on the agenda is, of course, the EU’s association agreement with Israel, and whether Israel is living up to its human rights obligations under that deal.

Following weeks of mounting pressure over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has presented a list of options that range from suspending trade with Israel to halting student exchanges. All because an EU review found Israel falling short of the human rights standards required by the agreement, while the latest reports are showing attacks on civilians at aid distribution centres.

So, will the EU take concrete action under Article 2 of the agreement, or settle for monitoring Israel’s promises on humanitarian aid?

Production: By Europod, in co-production with Sphera Network.

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You can find the transcript here:

Today, EU foreign ministers are gathering in Brussels for their final meeting before the summer recess. The main item on the agenda is of course the EU’s association agreement with Israel, and whether Israel is living up to its human rights obligations under that deal. But will the EU take concrete action under Article 2 of the agreement, or settle for monitoring Israel’s promises on humanitarian aid?

Welcome to Long Story Short, Europod’s daily podcast that breaks down what matters most, in just five minutes. I’m Evi Kiorri, here to make Europe’s latest, long story short.

Following weeks of mounting pressure over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has presented a list of options that range from suspending trade with Israel to halting student exchanges. All because an EU review found Israel falling short of the human rights standards required by the agreement, while the latest reports are showing attacks on civilians at aid distribution centres.
In response, the Israeli government struck a deal last week with the EU to significantly improve humanitarian access to Gaza. This includes increasing the number of aid trucks entering the territory, reopening key border crossings, and ensuring protection for humanitarian workers.

It’s a promising development on paper. But Kallas herself made it clear that implementation is key, and so far, the pace has been underwhelming. The EU expects at least 160 trucks to pass through eight entry points, monitored by the EU’s envoy, the UN, and Israeli officials.

Still, don’t hold your breath for sanctions, because there is little appetite among member states to rock the boat. Most of the options Kallas presented require a qualified majority, and she likely doesn’t have it.
Now this is about whether the EU can maintain a consistent foreign policy, especially when it claims to stand for human rights and the rule of law.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU has passed 18 packages of sanctions,  tough, coordinated, and with clear political intent. Yet, when it comes to Gaza, many argue that the bloc has responded with hesitation and double standards.

Now, that legal contradiction may face a serious challenge.

Because according to EUobserver, this week, a group of Franco-Belgian lawyers from the JURDI Association, including experts linked to the International Criminal Court, are filing a case with the EU Court of Justice. Their claim is that both the European Commission and Council have failed to act in response to alleged violations of international law by Israel. They’re invoking Article 265 of the EU Treaty, which allows legal action when an EU institution fails to act where it is legally required to do so.
It’s unprecedented. And it could mark the first time the EU is forced to answer in court for what critics call its selective defence of human rights.

Of course, this case won’t be decided overnight. But its very existence is a sign of growing frustration, not just in civil society, but within parts of the EU’s own legal and diplomatic machinery.

So what comes next?

Well, for now, foreign ministers have bought themselves time. The humanitarian agreement brokered by Kallas offers political cover and a chance to say, “Let’s wait and see.”

But the hard truth is that if Israel fails to deliver on its promises, the EU may find itself right back where it started, with tough decisions it’s still unwilling to make.

As for Kallas, her efforts have highlighted both the power and the limits of her role. She has shown the EU can exert leverage. But she’s also learning what her predecessors knew all too well: foreign policy in Brussels only works if the big capitals play along. And so far, they haven’t.