Madrid - Saba:
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has called for the immediate suspension of the European Union's association agreement with Israel over its genocidal practices.
During a speech in the Spanish Parliament on Friday, Sanchez criticized the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, noting that its practices "will be remembered as one of the darkest chapters of the 21st century."
Sanchez emphasized that Spain and Ireland asked the European Union in February 2024 to assess compliance with the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
"The report concluded that there is more than enough evidence that Israel has violated Article 2 of the agreement, which is based on respect for human rights," he said, referring to the June 23 report by EU foreign and security affairs representative Kaija Callas on the agreement.
He emphasized that the EU has not yet taken any steps against Israel, adding: "No one who tramples on the EU's founding principles and uses hunger (in Gaza) as a weapon to eliminate a legitimate state (Palestine) can be a partner of the EU."
The Spanish prime minister criticized Europe for not doing enough to stop the genocide, stressing that Netanyahu should not be allowed to do in Palestine what Russian President Vladimir Putin is accused of doing in Ukraine.
He continued: "We cannot be complicit in the greatest genocide of this century by succumbing to indifference, indecision or political calculations."
The EU-Israel Association Agreement was signed in Brussels on November 20, 1995, and entered into force on June 1, 2000, after being ratified by the parliaments of the EU member states, the European Parliament, and the Israeli Knesset.
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