France considers reopening discussions on revising the European Union’s association agreement with Israel following Israel’s "disproportionate" attacks on Lebanon and violence by settlers in the West Bank, a French Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.
Israel carried out heavy strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday, after the United States and Iran reached a two-week ceasefire agreement the night before.
According to Israel and the US, Lebanon was not part of the agreement, but Iran insists that Lebanon is "inseparably linked" to it.
The French Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Pascal Confavreux, stated that the severity of the recent events and the unrest in the West Bank might lead to renewed discussions on suspending the EU-Israel association agreement, alongside potential national sanctions.
While he acknowledged Israel’s right to self-defence, he labelled the recent actions as “unacceptable” and “disproportionate,” claiming they have effectively created a deadlock.
A spokesperson for the European Commission similarly condemned Israel’s recent actions in Lebanon on Thursday.
The European Commission had already proposed a partial suspension of the association agreement, which has been in effect since 2000, back in September.
It also suggested sanctions against “extremist” Israeli ministers, citing Israel’s violations of Article 2 of the agreement, which requires respect for human rights and democratic principles. Such violations enable the EU to unilaterally terminate the agreement.
Sanctions and changes to the agreement require approval from the EU’s 27 member states. A qualified majority is needed for amending the association agreement, while unanimity is required for sanctions targeting ministers.
Some member states, including Germany, consistently oppose measures against Israel. Progress on these proposals has stalled for months.
The European Commission had also previously suggested partially suspending Israel’s participation in the Horizon research programme, though no agreement on this proposal has been reached either.
