Spain, Ireland and Slovenia have formally called on the European Union to debate suspending its association agreement with Israel, arguing that the bloc can no longer remain silent as conditions deteriorate in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares raised the issue at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday, telling colleagues that a suspension would send a "strong signal" to the Israeli government and that the EU risked losing its credibility if it failed to act.

In a joint letter sent last week to EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, the three governments argued that Israel had breached Article 2 of the 1995 EU-Israel Association Agreement — the cornerstone of political, economic and trade relations between the EU and Israel — which conditions the relationship on respect for human rights and international law. The ministers pointed to a proposed Israeli law that would impose the death penalty by hanging on Palestinians convicted in military courts, describing it as "a grave violation of fundamental human rights." They also cited the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where they said conditions were "unbearable" and aid remained insufficient, as well as intensifying settler violence in the West Bank, carried out "with absolute impunity."

Albares stressed that repeated appeals to Israel to change course had gone unanswered, and asked fellow ministers what more would need to happen before the EU acted. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had signalled the move at a campaign event over the weekend, saying that "a government that violates international law cannot be the EU's partner." Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar rejected the push, accusing Madrid of hypocrisy and maintaining relations with what he described as rights-violating regimes elsewhere.

Suspending only the commercial portions of the agreement would require a qualified majority — support from at least 55% of member states representing 65% of the EU's population — rather than the unanimity needed for full suspension. A European Commission proposal along these lines has been on the table since September, but has so far failed to gather sufficient backing. An earlier EU review had already concluded that Israel had "likely" breached its obligations under the pact; possible trade measures were discussed but not implemented after Israel pledged to increase humanitarian aid into Gaza.

All three countries have taken individual steps in parallel. Slovenia banned imports from Israeli-occupied territories in August 2024, becoming one of the first EU states to do so, and Spain followed with a similar decree that entered into force at the start of 2026. Ireland is seeking to revive its Occupied Territories Bill, which would ban trade with illegal settlements, though it has stalled despite passing the lower house of parliament. Spain, Ireland and Slovenia all formally recognised the State of Palestine in May 2024 in a coordinated diplomatic move. Meanwhile, Kallas told a donor conference in Brussels that the estimated cost of rebuilding Gaza has risen to $71 billion.